


The Waves of the World

by Erectopatronum



Series: The Waves of the World [1]
Category: Pirates of the Caribbean (Movies)
Genre: Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, F/M, James Norrington deserves better
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-08
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-09 01:14:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 26,191
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27446227
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Erectopatronum/pseuds/Erectopatronum
Summary: Alice Barbossa wanted to travel the world before she settled down, spending the last decade on the Black Pearl. Following the plot of Curse of the Black Pearl, Alice and the rest of the crew hunt down the remaining gold of Cortes. With Jack Sparrow in the mix, it won't be smooth sailing, however. Cross Posted on FF.net
Relationships: Elizabeth Swann/Original Female Character(s), Elizabeth Swann/Will Turner, James Norrington/Original Character(s)
Series: The Waves of the World [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2005207
Kudos: 4





	1. A Girl Named Alice

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone! So I have been sitting on this idea for a while and I have wanted to do a POTC fanfic that followed the movies instead of trying to create my own substory, which I have dabbled in in the past, but never continued. I recently rewatched the series and I have fallen in love with James Norrington, who I feel didn’t get a good ending. I felt like he only had his redemption arch to further Elizabeth’s plot. I want to give him a happier ending, and that’s the goal of this story. 
> 
> When I was writing this, I noticed it could or maybe it already is jumping into Crack!fic, which is not my intention. Where this is the most notable is the end of this chapter, in my mind with my OC’s relationship with Ragetti. I really like Pintel and Ragetti and I wished we got to know more of their backstory. So, I’m writing it. I am not sure if in Canon they are friends or if they are family. I like the idea that they are nephew and uncle, with Pintel being the uncle, Ragetti the nephew, so that’s how it’s being set up. I plan on using the script for dialogue and pacing, inserting script dialogue into the story and writing my own scenes around it, inserting my OCs, etc. if you don’t like that sort of story, this is the one warning. Please don’t tell me that you hate that style, just don’t read it. 
> 
> This is the story that I would want to read. I don’t see a lot of Norrington content that I really can get into, so I’m writing my own ideas down this way. This story is mostly from my OC’s perspective, so some parts from the movie will not be in the story because my character will not be there. Depending on the reception this gets, I might do a rewrite from another OC’s perspective, one that you will meet later in the story. 
> 
> I also love dad!Barbossa. I loved the idea of him being a father and I loved the premise in the last movie of him having a daughter. So, because I love pirates of the Caribbean and I am a colonial era historian, I have written him a period accurate family. I am a colonial family and women’s historian. This is what I research. I wrote my thesis on family life in the colonies, comparing it to English life during the POTC time period. (1660ish to the mid 1700s.) Please understand that ideas were different then. A topic that will come up (Not in this story, I don’t think) is alcohol and pregnancy. Women drank weak alcohol during pregnancy as water wasn’t always safe. If a sensitive topic is coming up, such as that, I will put in a disclaimer at the beginning of the chapter, along with an explanation from sources I have used to verify my information. I can even site those sources if you would like to look into these issues further! 
> 
> Thank you all again for supporting me and this hobby. Every like, share, comment, follow and favorite warms my heart. It makes me want to write more. I’m really sorry for the longest author’s note in history, I just wanted to make sure everyone was on the same page! 
> 
> Lots of love,
> 
> Erectopatronum

A young woman woke to sun streaming in through the window, the warmth of it waking her gently. She stretched, her arms coming up above her head, her joints popping pleasantly. Swinging her legs over the edge of the bed, she gathered her clothes and ducked behind the quilt that was hung from the ceiling to act as a changing screen, quickly dressing for the day. She was tugging her feet into her boots when a man with a large hat and a monkey on his shoulder walked into the room. 

“Morning Papa.” She said, cheerfully stamping her foot down to wedge her foot into her boots. They were quickly becoming too small, but she didn’t want to ask her father to stop at a port so she could get another pair.

The man looked at her and then down at her feet, shaking his head. “Good morning, Alice. Just getting out of bed at this hour?” 

“I’m sorry.” She said automatically, jamming the other foot into her boot. She cursed softly, as her toes hit the toe of the boot, but her heel was still an inch from the back of her shoe. 

Her father came over and felt the toes of her shoes after she wedged her foot into the boot. “These are much too small, lass. Why haven’t you said something?” 

“It’s not a big deal, Papa. I’ll just make them work.” She got up and went to get her brush, fixing her reddish brown hair into a braid down her back. Then she tied a faded green bandana around her head, to keep any loose strands away from her face.

“No, we’re making port in Tortuga today, and you and I are going to the cobbler to get you new shoes.” He settled at his desk and pulled out a series of papers. “When you need something, you need to tell me. I can’t read minds.” 

“But shoes are expensive…” She smoothed her bandana once more, before she turned away from the small mirror, turning to face him once more. 

“Alice Elizabeth, it is not your job to worry about finances.” He flipped through the papers in his hand until he had the one he was looking for. Alice poked her head over his shoulder and saw he was looking over the treasure log he kept for each man on the ship. She watched as he tallied up his own, rather than hers’s. 

“Papa, why don’t you use my shares? The shoes would be for me. It makes sense for me to pay for my own things.” 

Her father looked back at her with an annoyed look. “I just said that ye are not responsible for your own necessities. Ye know that most of your money is sent to your mother for your dowry. I would prefer that the money ye have for ye is kept for the things that ye want.” 

“I guess.” She winced a little and shifted in her shoes, trying to find a position that didn’t hurt, but she was having a very hard time. Her shoes had been hurting her for weeks and her feet were starting to get large blisters, with Alice trying to bandage them as best as she could so they would stay clean. 

“You guess? You don’t really have a choice. I’m not going to bend on this.” He stood and cupped her chin with one hand. “How bad are they really? The boots.” 

“Bad.” Alice pulled away and yanked her shoes off, grunting with pain as she did so, rolling her stockings down, revealing the bandages that were now bloody. “Oh, I didn’t realize they were bleeding.” 

Her father cursed and knelt on one knee, unraveling the bandages, gently turning her feet around to look at her blisters. “Why haven’t you said anything, lass?” 

“I didn’t want to make you worry about something else. You’ve been worried about the curse and finding the last piece. I don’t know, I just didn’t want to be a burden.” 

He sighed. “You really are my daughter, aren’t you?” he tutted, before getting up with the soiled bandages, dumping them in a pile, before getting a bottle of cheap vodka and a rag, as well as new strips of clean cloth. “You’re not a burden, lass. I would never have brought you along if you were a burden.” 

He soaked the rag in the vodka and hesitated before pressing the rag against her feet. “This is going to hurt, love.” 

She nodded, gripping the edge of her bed, waiting for him to continue. When he dabbed at her feet with the rag, she hissed, reacting by pulling her foot away from her father. “Sorry.” 

“It’s alright.” He held onto her ankle and continued his work, rewrapping her foot in the clean bandage. Taking her other ankle, he cleaned the other foot and then rewrapped them again. “There, all done.” 

Alice nodded, wiping the few tears from her eyes that had formed from the burning of the vodka. “Should I put the boots back on?” 

“No, your feet need to heal.” Her father went to his trunk that he stored under his bed, rifling through the trunk until he found his extra pair of boots, a roughly worn old pair of boots that were made of soft animal skin, not leather. Alice noticed they had a suede like appearance, and they seemed to only come up to ankle. “You can borrow these until we get you your own today.” He knelt once more and pulled open one of the drawers in her cabinet bed, taking out some of the tissue paper that they kept and stuffed the toes of the shoes with the paper. While he stuffed the shoes, Alice rolled her stockings back onto her feet, tutting at the bloodstains on her socks. When he was done, her father slipped the shoes onto her feet, tying them tight so they did not fall off. 

“They ain’t perfect, but they’ll work for now.” He helped her stand once more. 

“Captain Barbossa, we’re approaching Tortuga.” The bo’sun walked into the room, knocking on the doorframe with one knuckle. 

“Come out on the deck when you’re ready.” Barbossa walked out of the room, leaving Alice alone. 

She shifted her feet around, liking the feeling of the sides of her feet no longer touching the sides of the shoes. They were too large, much too large, but they were shoes. She carefully walked out of the room, making sure that her feet did not fall out of the shoes, heading on deck to see the crew shuffling around, preparing to dock. She ducked up the stairs that led to the helm, taking a lidded basket from the pile of junk and went back to the room to gather her too small boots. 

They might be too small for her, but they were still stout, no holes or cracks, so she put them in the basket to take to the cobbler. She went back out to the deck, looking around for her father, finding him on the upper deck, standing at the helm, navigating. 

Alice walked up the stairs to the helm, coming to stand next to her father as he steered the ship. “Do you think we’ll find boots in town?” 

“I think so. The cobbler usually has some boots that are unclaimed. We also need to get food for you as well.” 

“I can’t wait till you’re all quit of this curse so we can have meals together again.” Alice sighed, leaning against the rail. 

“Soon, we’ll have them again.”

Once they were docked, Barbossa and Alice walked through the streets of Tortuga, Alice’s arm looped through her father’s, knowing her father preferred it that way, as the men on the island were rowdy and often refused to take no for an answer. There had been a few times where her father had to be involved with men wanting to take her to bed, with or without her consent. There was a reason that her father didn’t allow her to call him anything paternal outside of the ship, as it was safer that way, and while if one looked long enough, you could tell they were related, but at a glance, you would have a very hard time. He didn’t hide the fact they were father and daughter, but only he referred to her as his daughter, not the other way around. 

Alice had dark reddish-brown hair, more like her four brothers. Her mother had brown hair, which none of her children had seemed to inherit. Barbossa had, at one point, had a shock of red hair, but it had dulled to a dark auburn. His three other daughters had inherited the red hair. Alice missed her family terribly while she was gone, but the adventures that she and her father had were worth it to her. They would go back to the family home as much as they could, but as the crew was cursed, it was hard for her mother to allow the men into their home and she did not like the idea of the crew on the island where her family lived. 

They eventually made it to the cobbler, where Barbossa tapped on the counter to get the man’s attention. Alice placed the basket in her hand on the floor, looking around the shop with mild interest. 

The man looked up from his work, placing the half-made pair of shoes down on his table. “Hello sir,” He got up and came over to the pair. “What can I do for you today? Would you like to order a pair of shoes?” he pulled a piece of parchment over to himself and picked up a quill. 

“No, I was hoping that you would have any pairs of shoes, boots specifically that no one has claimed?” 

“I don’t have any shoes that would fit an adult, sir.” 

“There for me daughter, not me.” He waved Alice over and she approached the counter, smiling at the man. 

“I see. Let me take a look at your feet.” The cobbler came around the counter and waved her over to the bench by the window. When Alice sat, the cobbler knelt before her and went to take her shoes off, but before he touched her feet, he paused. 

“If I may, miss?” 

“Yes, of course.” 

The man pulled at her shoes laces, before taking the shoes off her feet. He took her feet in his hands, gently turning them back and forth, hemming and hawing. “I think I have a pair that would fit you, but they were made for a boy with slightly bigger feet than you.” 

“May I try them on, sir?” Alice asked the man, who let her feet go and stood. 

“Why not? If they don’t fit, would you like to order a pair of shoes?” 

Barbossa frowned a little and seemed to think. “How long would it take you to make a pair?” 

“I could have them done in a few hours, sir.” He smiled and Alice noticed that the man had a few gold teeth. “But we can try the pairs I have available first.” 

He left to the back room, coming back with a few pairs, laying them in front of Alice. “There you are miss,” He plopped one of the pairs in front of her. “Try these. I think these will be perfect, but I have others if I was wrong.” 

Alice pulled the boots onto her feet, standing once they were on. Her father came over and knelt, feeling the toes to see where her foot stopped in the shoes. 

“Try walking. Do they feel alright?” 

Alice paced back and forth, shifting her weight back and forth as she would when she fought. Her blisters were a little aggravated and she would have to wear her father’s shoes until the sores had healed. 

“They fit well. But my blisters hurt.” 

The cobbler nodded. “If you had poor fitting shoes before, you should try to wear looser shoes before you wear boots. Let them heal, but these are the boots that I have that would fit the best. The others are much too large, but if you want shoes that are two sizes too large, I have those.” 

Barbossa shook his head and reached for the money pouch in his pocket. “We’ll take these.” He placed a few gold coins on the counter as Alice tugged the boots off and pulled her father’s shoes back on her feet so she could continue the shopping with her father. She took her old boots out of the basket, placing them on the counter. 

“Sir, would you be interested in buying these? These were the boots I had before. There are no cracks or holes, my feet just grew out of them quicker than I thought.” 

“How old are you, miss?” 

“18, sir. I’ve had these boots about a year now.” 

“I see. Well that is to be expected. I see it all the time. You just look much younger than you are, is all. I’ll give you 8 silver for them.” 

Alice considered for a moment before shaking the man’s hand. “Done.” She had bought the shoes for 4 silver, so she supposed it wasn’t that bad to get her money back and then some. When she was handed the money, she quickly recounted the coins before slipping them into her money pouch.

She tucked the boots into the basket, nodding her thanks to the cobbler, leaving with her arm linked to her father’s.

Moving down the road once more, Barbossa took a turn to a secondhand store, opening the door for Alice, who slowly walked into the store, a little confused. 

“Papa, why are we here?” 

“You need new clothes and we don’t have time to wait for the tailor to make anything new.” Barbossa went to the shelves and poked through some shirts, trying to find clothing that had the fewest holes. 

“Ahhh, Hector.” The shop owner came out, arms open wide. 

“Richard,” Barbossa came over and shook the man’s hand, clapping him on the back. 

“What brings you in?” 

“Alice needs new clothes, or newer clothes. She’ll be clothed in rags soon enough.” Hector laughed as they watched Alice go through the stacks of clothes, looking for something she liked. “Even if there are a few holes, those can be patched, but she’s growing so fast now, her clothing is starting to rip at the seams.” 

“I see. My own girls are experiencing the same. They get big fast, don’t they? I remember when you first came here, Alice was what, eleven? How old are you now, dear?” 

“Nearly 18, sir.” Alice noticed a stack of stays in the back of the store, which piqued her interest. She needed a new pair of stays, her pair that she had on now were much too small, pinching her when she tied them. She had let them out as much as she could, but there was not much cord left to loosen them. Alice went through the stack, finding a pair that looked to be the right size. 

Tossing it over her arm, she went back to the stacks of pants and shirts, pulling out the few shirts that had the fewest number of holes or were the least threadbare. She found pants that would be the right size as well, noticing there were a hole in the knees of the pairs, but she could patch them up that night.

“Find all you need?” Richard looked at the girl who placed her finds on the table. 

“I think so.” 

Hector walked to the front of the store and found a few pairs of sturdy stockings. “You need new stockings, lass. I noticed this morning the soles of that pair are about to give out.” He tossed the few pairs he had on the table as well. 

Richard started tallying up the amount folding the clothing as he counted, making a neat little stack. When he was done, he gave Hector the total, as he reached under the counter and pulled out pieces of fabric that matched the fabric of the shirt and pants, cutting them into manageable pieces. 

“Mr. Glass, why are you cutting fabric?” 

“A young lady should not have mismatched patches, regardless of her piracy status or not.” He winked, folding the pieces of fabric and tying the bundle together. “I also have a coat your size that has been underfoot for a while. I want you to take it. I can’t look at it any longer.” He went to the back and came back with a red coat, one that looked like her father’s but smaller and maroon. 

Alice looked at Barbossa in disbelief, before reaching for her own pouch of money, ready to pay for the new material and the coat. 

“No, I won’t accept any money. You both spend more here than any other person I’ve ever had. Your father and I have been friends for years. Save your money. Buy something more interesting than clothes.” 

Alice looked away from her father to Mr. Glass, slowly putting her pouch away. “Are you sure?” 

“Absolutely. Take it. I won’t take no for an answer.” The man smiled and handed her the stack, helping her tuck the clothes into her basket. “You need the clothing and I want you to be happy. You’ve grown into a beautiful young woman, Miss Barbossa. I wish I had finer things to offer you here.” 

Alice shuffled the basket around in her arms, smiling at the man. “Thank you, Mr. Glass. But these things are fine enough. And with enough thread and this fabric you have so graciously given me, I will be able to make these the finest clothes in the Caribbean.” With a wave, Alice followed her father out of the shop, tucking her arm back in her father’s. 

“Do you have anywhere else you need to go, Papa?” 

“One more place and then we’re done.” He led her down the street to the long line of taverns, stopping at the Faithful Bride. He held the door open for her, putting a hand on her lower back, leading her into the main room. He took the basket from her as she went into the room. 

There, at one of the first tables was her mother, her brothers and sisters. Alice gasped and dropped, crouching just to the right of the door, her hands covering her mouth. 

“You need to get up, lass.” Hector gently took her arm and pulled her up to stand, leading her over to the table where her family sat, snacking on dried fruit. 

“Mama!” Alice rushed to the table and threw her arms around her mother. 

“Alice, my goodness!” She wrapped her arms around her daughter, kissing her temple. “How have you been?” 

“Okay.” She sat in one of the chairs that was free at the table, grinning at her family.

“Just okay?” 

“My feet are a little blistered, but it’s alright. I got new shoes today.” She gestured to her father who sat down next to his youngest daughter. 

“Good, I’m glad.” 

“Caroline, you act like I can’t take care of her.” Barbossa stretched his legs out in front of him. 

“Hector, I am her mother, so I do get to worry.” Caroline toyed with her daughter’s braid, alternating between her hair and rubbing her back. 

The eldest child at the table leaned forward and tapped her hand, drawing Alice’s attention. “Here, Samuel drew this for you.” 

She was given a piece of paper folded loosely, and she opened it up, revealing the drawing of a ship, with a girl that was clearly supposed to be her and a man that was supposed to be her father. Alice laughed, sliding the paper over to her father to look at. “Antonio, I love it. Tell Samuel as much. And give my love to Maria. Why didn’t she come?” 

“She’s feeling a might poorly. She’s with child and didn’t want to leave the island with us today. She’s sick on dry land, imagine her on a ship.” 

“Wait, she’s pregnant?” Alice jumped up and threw her arms around her brother, kissing his cheek. “Congratulations!” 

“Thank you, Ace.” He pulled her close, laughing as she made a face at his childhood nickname for her. “But you know, its high time we start thinking of finding you a husband. I have my Maria, Charles here,” he gestured to the man to his right. “has Susannah. You’re 18 now. I think maybe you hang up the pirate act and come home?” 

“Not a chance.” Alice went back to her chair, crossing her arms over her chest. “I have too much to do before I marry.” 

Antonio shook his head, smiling at her energy. They were then approached by the bartender, who was wiping out a glass. 

“Hello, Captain Barbossa. Is this the family?” 

“Hello Ebenezer. Yes, this is. My wife, Caroline, my eldest Antonio, Charles, you know Alice, then Nathaniel, Jeremiah, Felicity, Rebecca and my youngest Charlotte.” 

The man whistled. “I never would have pinned you as a family man, Captain. Most pirates aren’t.”

“I’m a man of mystery, Ebenezer.” He smirked, laying his arm over Charlotte’s shoulders. 

“Well, they’re beautiful. I was just coming over to see if you needed something else?” 

The two adults looked at their children on the table, who shook their heads. “No, I think we’re all set for the time being. Thank you though.” Caroline smiled, folding her hands on the table. 

The man smiled, then walked away, taking his glass with him. The family continued to sit at the table, with everyone but Hector ordering lunch. Alice knew it was hard for him to watch his family eat, as he was cursed to walk the line between life and death, which also plagued the rest of the crew. He had been cursed for the better part of ten years, with Charlotte being born two years into the curse. Alice remember her father confiding in her mother, telling her that he was upset that he could not feel his daughter when he held her after her birth, that he had tried everything to break the curse, but they were most likely never going to be quiet of the curse, due to his rash actions of tying Bootstrap to a cannon and sending him into the sea. 

She wasn’t sure how true that was, as she came onto the ship the year afterward, but she knew that the curse was real. It had terrified her to no end at first, but she was used to it now. She rarely saw the crew as skeletons, due to her being the only member of the crew that slept. 

They also saved more money as she was the only crew member who ate, usually spending her time eating in her cabinet bed, curtains drawn. There she would light a few candles and read, eating whatever she had made that night. She tried to keep to herself at night, as the reminder of the men being undead was too much for the men and they usually got too violent for her tastes. She always feared that they would not take no for an answer, resulting in her ripping the nails out of one of the floor boards, rigging it to slid away so she could get away from whoever might be trying to get into the room. 

The board gave way to an unused storeroom, where she could slide the board back into place. Alice had a key to the storeroom, so she could let herself out if needed and she could control the people that had access to the storeroom. 

She hoped that she would never need to use the escape route and hadn’t in the seven years she had been on the Pearl. The men seemed to be afraid of her father’s wrath, with many not even talking to her more than needed. The only one who treated her kindly was Ragetti, the one eyed man. 

Often, he would go to the galley with her at night, sitting at the table while she cooked. She found out that he had many siblings, and his uncle, who was on the ship, Pintel, had brought him on the ship when he was younger. Ragetti’s mother had taught him how to cook for himself and for his siblings, as his father had left. His mother worked as a washerwoman, so she was rarely home in time to make meals for the children. 

When she remarried, his stepfather went to work, and his mother returned home. At this time, Pintel took Ragetti with him when he joined Barbossa’s crew. 

When she joined the crew, she found she had to fend for herself meal wise, so Ragetti took it upon himself to teach her how to cook. She had no idea how to man a ship but thought seeing the world was a grand idea, so she jumped on the chance to do just that at the age of 11. Ragetti taught her to tie knots, preform ship maintenance, and to shoot rifles. He said that she reminded him of his little sister Sarah, who he missed terribly. While Pintel was always around Ragetti, the crew called the pair of Ragetti and Alice, the dynamic duo. 

Often times when they docked, Alice would be carried on Ragetti’s back to taverns, where they played cards with local drunks. While Alice was a fierce girl and had no problems stabbing or shooting men, he still took it upon himself to defend her when things got too rough. Hector seemed to approve of the relationship, knowing that they were only friends and he likened the two to brother and sister. 

As the family was finishing lunch, Pintel and Ragetti came into the tavern, smirks on their faces. “Captain!” They called, rushing over. 

“What is it?” Hector snapped, turning away from the conversation he was having with his wife. 

“The last coin. It calls.” Ragetti looked manic in his excitement, rubbing his hands together. 

Hector looked at his family and then Alice, as Alice stood up and tossed her napkin on the table. 

“Well, no need to delay the inevitable.” She hugged all her siblings goodbye, saving her mother for last. “I’ll see you all when this is over, I promise. Who knows, maybe I’ll finally come home for more than a week.” 

Caroline squeezed her eldest daughter tight, kissing the top of her head. “You will. I may just keep you prisoner at the house.” 

“I might be okay with that.” Alice waited for her father to say his goodbyes as well, kissing all his children goodbye before kissing his wife. Alice knew it was more for her mother’s benefit than his, as he could feel nothing. The family left the tavern together, but parted separately, with Hector and Alice heading to the docks and Caroline and her children going to the shops to by things that were not on their island.

As they moved down the road, Alice took her basket from her father, falling into step with Ragetti. 

“I can carry that for you, Miss Alice.” Ragetti held his arms out for her purchases, but Alice shook her head. 

“I can take care of it, but thank you for offering.” She took his arm as he offered it, and they followed Hector as he went through the streets. 

“Is the Pearl resupplied?” 

“Aye sir, the men just finished.” Pintel said, a few feet behind the captain. 

“Good.” The crew were waiting for the four, all standing on the dock waiting for orders. “Gents, our hope is restored! Let us make sail and recover that medallion.” 

The crew cheered, rushing up the gangplank to prepare for casting off. Ragetti led Alice up the gangplank like a suedo-gentleman, as they had started this game of sorts when Alice was 11. Pretending to be high class was always something that entertained her and Ragetti was a good actor. When they got on and off the ship, he led her. He held doors for her in an exaggerated way and when they were in the galley, he would pretend they were at some fancy ball, and talk about how exquisite the cuisine was.

The other pirates thought he was crazy, or too soft with her. Even her father had thought it was dumb. But she had grown up on the ship and while she was most certainly not play acting anymore, she still enjoyed having a bit of fun now and again. Ragetti was just the most laid back pirate on the ship. 

“Later tonight, do you want me to read a bit to you?” Alice knew Ragetti couldn’t read but he loved hearing stories. Currently, they were reading Hamlet, nearing the end. They had planned to either start Paradise Lost or Othello once they had finished reading about the Prince of Denmark. Ragetti yearned to know to read and Alice had been trying to teach him a little, but he was having a hard time grasping it. He knew his letters, but could not remember how they sounded when put into words, making it impossible to read books. 

Alice had learned to read in school and while the school she attended was primitive, it taught her enough of reading, writing and arithmetic to get by. Her father had finished all his schooling when he was a boy, so when she came on the ship, he made sure she brought her primers and other books, so they could finish what she would miss. 

“I would like that very much Miss Alice.” 

Alice turned to enter the captain’s quarters with her basket, but not before squeezing his hand with a smile.


	2. Attack on Port Royal

Alice went into the Captain’s Quarters, dropping the basket down on her bed to put her things away. In her trunk, she put the new shoes away, pushing her trunk under her bed. She was glad that her father had outfitted her bed in a cabinet, taking out the bottom drawer to fit a large trunk under her bed. Her bed not only was in a cabinet, but he had also strung a red curtain across the edge of the bed, so she could shut out light when she was going to bed, without having to lock herself inside. Inside the cabinet, she had small trinkets on a shelf, commemorating her travels around the world.

They had left a few drawers for her clothes which she didn’t have a lot of, but it was nice to have a place to store what she did have. She pulled all the clothes out of the basket, along with the coat she had been given and the fabric for her patches. He had given her more than she would ever need, which made her feel a little bad that she wasn’t asked to pay for it. Regardless, she took out her sewing basket from the floor next to her usual armchair, and the clothes with the fabric, leaving the captain’s quarters with her supplies.

She made her way to the bow, settling down against the rail, taking her shears to cut out patches for her pants. When she finished, she turned her pants inside out and pinned the patch in place, before loading a needle with brown thread. Quickly, the silver needle flashed in and out of the cloth as she worked, leaving behind a neat row of even tiny stitches. As she worked around the whole patch, she saw a shadow fall over her, causing her to look up.

“Miss Alice.” A crewman stood before her, holding a bundle.

“Master Twigg. What do you need?”

The man crouched down and offered her the bundle. She put her sewing down and opened the bundle, revealing a shirt with the sleeve nearly ripped off.

“I don’t know how to fix it.” He muttered, looking anywhere but her. She wasn’t surprised. Some of the men knew how to do basic mending, but there were some like Twigg, who had no time for what they called ‘woman’s work’. Alice, upon coming aboard nearly a decade before, was seen as the designated woman to do the mending and any of the washing that they could get done. She had once refused to do any of their demands when it came to stereotypical woman’s chores, insisting they at least try to learn to do it themselves. After all, she didn’t plan on being a pirate forever. 

Alice nodded and laid it down before her, pinning the fabric back together. “You’re lucky it split at the seam. I don’t need to patch it.” Flipping it inside out, she placed it down and finished her pants, tying the thread off. Turning her pants right side out, she examined her work, noting how smooth her patch was to the rest of the fabric.

Loading her needle with white thread, she whipped stitches through the fabric of Twigg’s shirt, tying off the thread and biting it off the spool with her teeth. Taking the pins out, she held it up for inspection.

“There you are, Master Twigg.” She tossed him the shirt and the bundle cloth. He stalked away, without a thank you, but she expected as much. They never thanked her for her work, which made her mad, but she knew better than to raise too much of a fuss. As the only member of the crew that capable of death, she knew they would rather kill her than hear her complain. The only person she didn’t mind helping with tasks was her father, but at least he tried to help as much as he could.

She then went back to her own work, stitching until the light was fading around her and the crew went around lighting lamps. She knew she had to get up and get moving to her station, having a feeling that they were approaching wherever the last coin was.

Alice picked up her work and went to the Captain’s Quarters, putting her completed work away and putting her sewing basket down with her incomplete projects to be finished later. She then strapped her sword and pistols to her body, a little disappointed in herself that she hadn’t had them with her on the bow, in case they had been attacked. Moving out of the room, she quickly moved over to Ragetti, who was tying off extra line. 

“Do you need help?” 

“Yes, please.” He handed over some of the lines that he had yet to get to, waiting to be tied. She smiled and nodded, taking the heavy ropes in her hands and began to do the same as Ragetti, though he was stronger than her, and he clearly was having an easier time than her, but she refused to bend. She leaned back, holding the rope, making sure it was tight. 

“Are you alright, Miss. Alice?” Pintel came over, holding a bucket and mop, putting them under the stairs with the others. 

“Yes,” She tied the rope off, moving to the next one. 

“Do you need help?” 

“I’m perfectly capable, Pintel.” She smiled and yanked hard, forming knots. 

“I know you are, but I don’t want you to hurt yourself…” He watched as Ragetti and Alice finished the ropes off. 

“I won’t.” She clapped her hand on his shoulder as she passed. “But thank you.” 

She went up the stairs to the helm, where her father was navigating, Jack the Monkey perched on his shoulder. The primate jumped onto her shoulder, nestling into her neck. 

“Hi Jack.” She turned her head and made kissing noises, smiling when Jack pressed his little hands to her cheeks, rubbing his face on her’s. “Oh thank you.” She kissed his head, then turned back to her father. 

“Where are we headed Captain?” 

“It appears Port Royal.” He pointed to the map he had been studying. “It’s the only port in this direction.” 

“Isn’t their navy really strong?” Alice took over the wheel as her father moved from the wheel to the side rail to look out at the sea in the fading sunlight. 

“Yes, but i don’t think they’re going to be an issue.” Barbossa came back and took the wheel again, barely noticing his monkey returning to his shoulder. 

“Why’s that, sir?” 

“We have the advantage of night.” He smiled cruelly, before barking orders at the crew, sending them scrambling around the deck. Alice ran down to the gun deck, finding Ragetti and Pintel loading a cannon. 

“Miss Alice, do you want to fire?” Ragetti knew she was usually kept on deck for her swordsmanship, an asset to the crew, but without anyone boarding the ship, she had no role for the time being. Ragetti had once told her that he had often let his sister aid him in household chores, as he was allowed to work outside, where she was trapped in the domestic sphere. Alice supposed his willingness to include her in duties that were not usually her own was a hold over from that. 

Alice shrugged and took the lite fuse, touching it to the cannon, grinning as it went off, watching as the cannonball slammed into the fort wall. She handed the fuse back to Pintel, then crouched near the two to watch. 

“Men, prepare to invade!” They looked at each other, with Alice leading the men up the stairs for the shore party. 

Alice took hold of a rope, sending a longboat into the water with Koehler, before launching another one more with Jacoby. Then she approached her father, who stood watching, laughing menacingly. 

“Captain? Orders?” 

He turned, seeming to be thinking about her question. “Go with the men. Be back in an hour.” 

“Aye sir.” She went back down the stairs, climbing over the side of the ship, getting in the longboat with the men. She leaned forward, watching the shore come closer and closer, before jumping out and helping to pull the boat onto the shore. Then, she took off with the men, running up the shore of Port Royal. 

She headed up the street, sword in hand, following the men to the governor's mansion. She had no idea where the gold was, but the men did, so she followed. They knocked on the door of the mansion as Alice caught up with them as Pintel shot the butler who answered the door. Moving over the body, Alice caught up with Ragetti and Pintel, pointing out the girl at the top of the stairs. 

The two looked, seeing the well kempt woman look shocked before running up the stairs. “Go get her, I’ll check the other rooms for the governor.” They nodded, taking off after the woman as Alice went into the downstairs rooms first, checking everywhere. When she found the governor's office, she found it empty, but she went through his desk, finding a few money pouches and jewels. 

She stuffed them into her pocket, before rushing upstairs to check the other rooms. Going to the left first, she stumbled into the governor's bedroom, taking her sword and stabbing through the bed, looking for the man. Finding nothing, she turned to leave, but then she saw a bookshelf stuffed with tomes. With a quick glance around the room, she found a small leather bag, so she strapped it on her body and checked the shelves, taking a few Shakespeare plays and Leviathan by Thomas Hobbes. The men would never take this sort of stuff, so if she didn’t, she would never have new books. On the man’s bedside table was a bible, marked with a feather. She thought about it for a moment, then crossed herself before taking that as well. 

“Forgive me, heavenly father.” She muttered, before continuing her search of the room.

Another look around found his writing desk, taking his papers and ink, knowing her father could always use more. Leaving the bedroom, she saw the two men chasing after the young woman. Ragetti jumped off the stairs, cornering the woman. Alice followed, watching as the girl sprinted into another room. 

“Why are you terrorizing her?” 

“She has the coin!” Pintel pointed at the door before trying to get in. “She’s blocked it!” 

“Move over!” Alice yanked Pintel out of the way and kicked the door near the lock, busting the door open after a few kicks. 

“How did you do that?” 

“My brothers used to lock me out of rooms in our house. I always would force my way in.” Alice went into the room with the others, looking around the room. 

“We know you're here, poppet. Come out and we promise we won't hurt you.” Pintel pulled his gun and walked around the room, looking for the woman. “We will find you, poppet ... You've got something of ours, and it calls to us!”

Ragetti pointed out the rug having been moved, slightly folded up in front of the cabinet. The two men went closer, peering into the crack. “The gold calls to us! Hello poppet.” He yanked the door open, revealing the woman, dressed in finary. 

“Parlay! I invoke the right of parlay! According to the Code of the Brethern, set down by the pirates Morgan and Bartholomew, you must take me to your Captain!” The woman spoke quickly, her eyes wide with fear. 

“I know the code.” Pintel rolled his eyes, pointing his gun at the girl. Alice noticed she couldn’t be older than 17, but here she was, trying to be brave.

“If an adversary demands parlay, you can do them no harm until the parlay is complete.” 

“It would appear, so do you.” 

“To blazes with the code!” Ragetti pulled out his own gun, pointing it at her head.

“She wants to be taken to the Captain, and she'll go without a fuss.” Pintel grabbed the girl and held her arm tightly, as Alice placed her hand on Ragetti’s shoulder. She knew how badly he was itching to quit himself of the curse, but murdering the girl who had the coin was not the way to go. If she was not the one who they were looking for, they wouldn’t be able to question her for the right one.

The four walked quickly down the street, trying to avoid the others who were running about looting and breaking windows. 

“Will!” The girl suddenly screamed with Alice looking to her right, seeing a man with brown hair in a ponytail, holding a sword and a hatchet. Thinking quickly, Alice pulled her gun and cocked it, not planning on killing the girl, put pointed it at her head, quirking an eyebrow at him, daring him to make a move. 

“Elizabeth!” 

But before he could step forward, Jacoby slammed a rod into the boy’s head, knocking him out. Alice smirked and uncocked her gun, stuffing it back into her belt. 

“Keep moving, we only have an hour.” Alice led them to one of the longboats, kicking away piles of burnt wood and smashed brick, making a path for the others, knowing the older man who held the woman by her arm would not stop moving, dragging her across the ground. 

“Where are the others from this boat?” 

“Dunno, they ran off…” 

As Alice shook her head and rolled her eyes, untying the longboat, gesturing for Pintel and the woman to get in. Ragetti and Alice prepared to push off when Koehler and Twigg came over, with the latter pressing his pistol into her lower back. 

“Trying to leave without us, bitch?” 

Alice turned and drew her sword, holding the edge to his neck. “Do you want to be dismembered? I don’t have an issue doing so. But you shoot me, you won’t like what happens to you when you return to the Pearl.” 

Twigg looked at Koehler and growled, before getting in the boat themselves. Ragetti waited until Alice sheathed her sword before resuming to push the boat into the water. When the boat was in the water fully, Ragetti and Alice ran in the water, jumping into the boat. There, Alice sat next to the captive, holding a pistol against the young woman’s hip. 

The woman was shaking ever so slightly, either from the cold or fear, Alice did not know. When they returned to the ship, Alice noticed the woman, who’s name she vaguely remembered from the shouts from the streets, either Eliie or Emma, she wasn’t too sure, looking up at the vessel. 

“I’ve seen this ship…. 8 years ago…. When i was crossing from England.” 

Alice’s eyes rose into her hairline, wondering how she saw the ship without being killed. Somehow, her father had not seen the ship she was on or desecrated the town she had been in. Slice supposed the girl had either heard stores or perhaps, even less likely, seen the ship in passing.

“Go first, I’ll follow. These men will look up your skirt if they follow you.” Alice gestured with her pistol. The woman nodded, looking a little nervous, but started up the ladder. Alice looked at the men, giving them a threatening look, daring them to start up the ladder before the woman was on the ship. 

Alice followed, noticing one of the pirates who had stayed on the ship to continue to fire offered the woman a hand, to steady her so she did not fall. Alice stepped up on the deck, heading to her father who was being a silent presence on the upper deck. Heading up the stairs, she nodded to him, standing at the rail, looking at the town that was being shot at. 

“Who’s the girl? 

“She had the gold. She demanded parley.” 

Hector nodded and went down the stairs, heading in the direction of the woman and his crew. Alice decided to put her pilfered books away, not knowing if she should allow the woman to see that she nicked them. 

Heading into the Captain’s quarters, she took the bag off her body and removed the books, stuffing them into her trunk, taking the jewels and money from her pocket, hiding them in a large pouch that she hid from the men. She had left the door open and while you couldn;t see the bedroom area from the door, she could still hear the men on deck. 

“I didn't know we was taking captives.” The Bosun growled at the man who had brought the woman on the ship. Alice came out of the quarters, holding Hamlet to her chest, looking out at the men. 

“She's invoked the right of parlay ... with Captain Barbossa.” Pintel pointed at the helm, which was still covered in smoke. 

“I am here to-” The girl was cut off by a sharp slap to the face from the Bosun. Alice charged forward, as even though she did not know the woman, she still felt for her, knowing how humiliating it was to be assaulted in that manner in a group full of men. . 

“You'll speak when spoken to!” He snarled and before Alice could do something on behalf of the woman, her father snatched his wrist, twisting it painfully. 

“And you'll not lay a hand on those under the protection of parlay!”

“Aye, sir.” He walked away. 

“My apologies, miss. As you were saying, before you were so rudely interrupted?” He bowed his head a little, but Alice knew it was not in a gentlemanly way. He was trying to get her to bring her guard down, but it did not seem to be working. 

“Captain Barbossa ... I have come to negotiate the cessation of hostilities against Port Royal.”

“There was a lot of long words in there, miss, and we're not but humble pirates. What is it you want?”

“I want you to leave. And never come back.” 

“I am disinclined to acquiesce to your request. Means 'No.'”

“Very well.” She quickly slipped the medallion off, darting to the side of the rail, and dangled it over the side of the ship. The pirates went quiet. 

“I'll drop it!”

“My holds are bursting with swag. That bit of shine matters to me ... Why?”

“Because it's what you're searching for. You've been searching for it for years. I recognize this ship. I saw it eight years ago, when we made the crossing from England.”

“Did you, now?” 

“Fine. I suppose if this is worthless, there's no reason to keep it.”

“NO!” She caught it by the chain, smiling at him triumphantly. “You have a name, missy?” 

“Elizabeth -- Turner. I'm a maid in the governor's household.”

Alice looked around at the men who seemed very pleased with the new information. She could understand why; Pintel and Ragetti had brought them the right person. 

“And how does a maid come to own a trinket such as that? A family heirloom, perhaps?”

“Of course. I didn't steal it, if that's what you mean.” 

“No, no, nothing like that. Very well. You hand that over, we'll put your town to our rudder and ne'er return.”

“Our bargain..?”

The captain looked at the Bosun with a cruel smile, before nodding to the man. 

“Still the guns, and stow 'em! Signal the men, set the flags, and make good to clear port!”

“Wait! You must return me to shore! According to the rules of the Order of the Brethen --” Elizabeth followed after him in a hurry as the ship made no intention to let her off any time soon. 

“First. Your return to shore was not part of our negotiations nor our agreement, and so I 'must' do nothing. Secondly: you must be a pirate for the pirate's code to apply. And you're not. And thirdly ... the code is more what you'd call guidelines than actual rules. Welcome aboard the Black Pearl, Miss Turner.”

The woman was left speechless and looked at Alice, as if she could actually help her. Alice could do nothing as the woman was led to the Captain’s quarters, but she took the key from Pintel to limit the temptation of going into the room. 

“It’s nothing against you, but there’s one key that my father and I share. I don’t need the crew filtering in and out, nor does that woman need you going in and out. She’s terrified. Let her relax a little, if she even can.” 

She gestured to Ragetti to follow her as she moved down to the galley, needing to eat after holding off for hours. As they entered the room, Alice pulled out a large pot from the cabinet next to the range, placing it on the table. 

Ragetti pulled a small barrel of water off the shelf for her, knowing she was a little too small to reach the shelf. Alice thanked him, taking the barrel and putting water into the pot she had. Ragetti lit a fire in the range for her, stoking a blaze for her to cook on. Alice put the water on to boil, and set a few pots with peas and salt beef, soaking the salt off of both. 

“I know the woman up there is not used to ship’s provisions, but I have no intention of making a lavish meal this late.” 

Ragetti nodded, watching as she stirred oats into the bowling water that was on the range. “How do you think this is going to go? Breaking the curse, i mean. What do you think is going to happen to her?” 

“Either she’s going to be marooned or killed. I don’t see my father keeping her around. I think, well i hope, that everything goes well. I have no idea what’s going to happen in a few weeks when we get to Isle de Muerta.” 

Ragetti stirred the pot of peas, and poked at the meat, switching out the water that the meat was soaking in. “I just want to be normal again.” 

“I know. You will be, soon enough.” Alice scooped up the oatmeal she had made into two bowls, plopping a few blueberries into it, slicing up strawberries and putting them in their own bowl, putting both the bowls onto a platter to carry them up to the captain’s quarters. As she cut up fruit, Ragetti pulled the beef out of the water, and began to season it, then sliced it up, putting it on the platter along with the peas. Two empty plates and two sets of silverware went as well, and Ragetti picked the platter up, following Alice to the captain’s quarters. 

Alice knocked and then unlocked the door, slowly opening it to not startle the woman. “Hi, Miss. I wasn’t sure if you had eaten yet, so we made you food.” Ragetti came in with Alice, placing the tray on the table in the center of the room. 

“No i haven’t. Thank you.” She seemed to have calmed down, but was still nervous, especially with Ragetti in the room. He placed the food on the table, putting the empty tray down on the side table by the door. 

“I’m sure this isn’t the fare you’re used to, but it’s late and i had no energy to make a more elaborate meal.” 

“This is perfect, thank you. I never got your name, however.” 

“I’m Alice and this is Ragetti.” Alice handed her a plate and a utensil set, taking two cups from the tall cabinet on the side of the room, along with a bottle of wine. 

Ragetti served the two, then headed into the other room, returning to the two girls with a book in hand. 

“What is your name again, Miss? I know it was said on deck, but i cannot remember it for the life of me.” 

“Elizabeth,” she smiled a little as Ragetti sat across from her, tome in hand. “What book is that?” 

“Hamlet, Miss Turner.” He opened to the marked page, pushing the book over to Alice. “I know you’re eating, but I was wondering…” 

“Of course, Ragetti.” She pulled the book closer and held it open with her hand. “Where were we last night? Oh yes, Act 4, scene 1. A room in the castle. Enter KING CLAUDIUS, QUEEN GERTRUDE, ROSENCRANTZ, and GUILDENSTERN. KING CLAUDIUS: ‘There's matter in these sighs, these profound heaves: You must translate: 'tis fit we understand them. Where is your son?’ QUEEN GERTRUDE: ‘Bestow this place on us a little while.’ Exeunt ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENSTERN: ‘Ah, my good lord, what have I seen to-night! KING CLAUDIUS What, Gertrude? How does Hamlet?’”

Ragetti watched completely taken, as Alice gave each character a personality of their own. Shakespeare was hard enough to read if you had never read a story before, but it was easier to understand when read aloud. She tried to make it as interactive as possible, as Ragetti could not take the book to participate, but she hoped he would learn to read in due time. 

“QUEEN GERTRUDE: ‘Mad as the sea and wind, when both contend Which is the mightier: in his lawless fit, Behind the arras hearing something stir, Whips out his rapier, cries, 'A rat, a rat!' And, in this brainish apprehension, kills The unseen good old man.’” Alice took a bite and made to continue, when Elizabeth gestured for the book, taking a sip of her wine.

“KING CLAUDIUS: ‘O heavy deed! It had been so with us, had we been there: His liberty is full of threats to all; To you yourself, to us, to every one. Alas, how shall this bloody deed be answer'd? It will be laid to us, whose providence Should have kept short, restrain'd and out of haunt, This mad young man: but so much was our love, We would not understand what was most fit; But, like the owner of a foul disease, To keep it from divulging, let it feed Even on the pith of Life. Where is he gone?’”

Alice scooted her chair over along with her meal, to continue the story. “‘QUEEN GERTRUDE: To draw apart the body he hath kill'd: O'er whom his very madness, like some ore. Among a mineral of metals base, Shows itself pure; he weeps for what is done.’” 

The two continued to swap lines, going back and forth until they reached the end of the act. 

“Thank you both. I wish I could read.” 

“You’ll learn soon enough, Ragetti.” Alice scraped her plate, nodding to the man.

She looked at Elizabeth who was looking thoughtful. 

“What is it?” 

“While I’m here, with nothing to do, really, I could help Alice teach you.” She placed her spoon inside her mouth, upside down, pulling it back out slowly. 

Ragetti looked hopeful, then stood to gather the dishes, taking the empty plates on the tray to leave the room. “Thank you both. It was a very entertaining evening.” He put the tray down on the table and went over to Alice, hugging her before he left, taking the tray with him. 

Alice looked at Elizabeth and smiled, turning around and moving into the other room to take her boots off. Elizabeth followed her, clearly not knowing where she should go. As she gathered up bandages and rags, she took a bottle of vodka with her. Plopping down on her bed, Alice toed her shoes off,pulling her legs up on the bed to examine her feet. The bandages were not bleeding, but her feet were raw still, resulting in her cleaning them with the vodka to rebandage them.

“What happened to your feet?” 

“My old boots were too tight.” She wrapped her feet carefully, then pulled a pair of her new stockings on. “I should have said something to my father when they started to cause issues.”

“Oh I'm so sorry.” She sat down in Alice’s sewing chair, watching as Alice pulled down her bedding, preparing for bed. 

“It’s alright.” She smiled. “Where do you want to sleep? You can sleep in my father’s bed or mine. My father won’t be sleeping in it tonight. He never does, actually.” 

Elizabeth paled a little at the mention of her father’s bed. “No i would rather not sleep in your father’s bed, if that’s alright?” 

“Yes, of course. Do you want to sleep in mine then? The bed is big enough for two to sleep comfortably. I used to make my father stay with me in this bed when i was younger and would get sick.” 

She waited as Elizabeth pulled her dressing gown off and tossed it over the back of the chair she was sitting in. As Elizabeth got in bed, Alice took her nightdress and ducked behind the makeshift curtain to change, coming out as the door opened, to see her father enter, sitting at his desk to check their course. 

“Hi, Papa.” She nodded to him as she got into bed, pulling the blankets around her and Elizabeth. 

“Hello Alice. Did you eat supper?” 

“Yes, I did and Elizabeth did as well.” 

“Good, good.” He absently said, sitting down to map a course. 

Alice shook her head and laid down, pulling the red curtain halfway closed, so she could still see her father but the light was blocked from the lamps and candles. She could feel Elizabeth next to her, shaking slightly, but Alice couldn’t bring attention to it until her father left. But she could take the girl’s hand, squeezing it tight.

Eventually, her father left and Alice rolled to face Elizabeth, who was pale. 

“Are you alright? How are you fairing?” 

“I’m scared, to be honest. Are they going to kill me?” 

“No, I don’t think so. My father doesn’t take captives, ever. He always kills those who are taken captive.” Alice smiled a little. “Not like that could be a comfort, but, it’s true.” 

Elizabeth nodded, shuffling down further in the bed. “And besides, you’re safe tonight. He would never kill you while you’re sleeping next to me.” She tried to lighten the mood, but Elizabeth seemed to far into her own fear to be helped. Alice nodded a little and pulled the curtain closed all the way. 

“Do you want me to shut the doors as well? I have the only key.” Alice looked at Elizabeth in the little light that got through the curtain. 

“No, that’s alright. Thank you, though.”

“Of course. You’re very welcome.” Alice rolled over to face the curtain as she always slept and expected sleep to come easily, as it usually did, the rocking of the ship usually rocking her to sleep. When she finally got to sleep, she was plagued by nightmares, a woman’s scream and a cackling laugh.


	3. Cult of Domesticity

Alice woke the next morning, feeling more tired that she had when she had gone to bed. Elizabeth was still asleep next to her, so Alice slid out of bed carefully, gathering her clothes from the floor, getting dressed behind the makeshift curtain. 

As she wrapped her feet with clean bandages, her father came in the room, rubbing a hand over his face. 

“Morning, lass.” 

“Morning Papa,” She said quietly, tying her borrowed boots on her feet. “How far out are we?” 

“A little less than a week.” He sat at the desk, twirling a quill pen in his hand. “How is our guest?” 

“Scared. She thought you were going to kill her last night.” Alice fixed her hair, tying her bandana on her head. 

“That’s not conducive to our cause.” He rolled his eyes, scribbling on the parchment before him, updating the ship’s logs with last night’s progress. Alice supposed it was the benefit of the crew not needing sleep. They were able to make twice the time with all hands on deck. 

“What do you mean?” 

Hector looked at the woman who was still sleeping on the bed before gesturing for his daughter to follow him out of the room. As they were leaving, Alice locked the door, to keep out the pirates who would undoubtedly take advantage of the sleeping woman in the room, who would be alone for however long she and her father were out of the room. They ended up in the galley, where Alice lit a fire in the range. She put a battered kettle on for tea, needing the caffeine it would provide to wake up for the day. 

“You know enough of the curse by now to understand. We just need a few drops of her blood. Killing her doesn’t help us achieve that end. You are not to tell her about the curse. We don’t need her trying to plan something rash.” He looked out the small window for a moment, then back at her. “All will be revealed in due time, of course.”

“Yes Papa.” Alice placed tea leaves in the boiling water before sitting at the table and placing her head down. 

“Are you alright?” Barbossa touched the back of her head as she moaned into the stained wood. 

“No. I hardly got any sleep last night.” She slowly sat back up. “I’m exhausted and the idea of another day of physical labor makes me even more tired.”

“Go back to bed then, love.” 

“I can’t. The crew doesn’t want a lazy member anymore than you do, I suppose.”

“I don’t, but I also don’t want you hurting yourself because you cannot focus.” Barbossa got up to attend to the whistling kettle, pouring her a mug of tea. He handed her the chipped mug, then quickly toasted two pieces of bread, putting them on a plate and putting it next to her, along with a small jar of fruit preserve. 

“Eat.” 

Alice nodded, numbly spreading preserve on the bread and putting it in her mouth, sipping on her tea. “I should be fine, Papa. I’ll be okay once I start walking around.” She yawned and stretched, taking another sip. 

“If you’re sure.” Barbossa sat back down across from her. “But if you’re not able to fulfill your duties, tell Ragetti or Pintel that you need help. Ask for help if you need it.” 

“I will.” She ate another bite of toast. “I do think I will be fine though.” She drained her mug then went to the large bucket that they used for dish washing. While they used sea water to wash their dishes, they were fortunate enough to have a piece of steel mesh that Alice used to strain large bits of seaweed and other matter, so that all that was left behind was seawater, which Alice was sure was not the best to wash dishes in, but was all they had as she was not one to waste drinking water on washing. 

Alice filled the kettle once more, washing her dishes while she waited for the water to boil. When she was done, she sat back down, contemplating what she should make for the woman.

“What’s going on in that head of yours?” 

“I was just thinking about what to bring the girl. She needs to eat, like me.” Alice looked at the range, watching the flames under the kettle flicker. 

“I doubt you want to be her personal cook for the rest of the time she’s here.” 

“Not particularly.” Alice got up and took a couple pieces of bread, toasting them like her father did for her. “But I wasn’t going to assume that I was at liberty to remove her from the room to bring her here to help me cook. It would be easier to have meals here, but Ragetti would be here as well during our meals.”

“Are you still teaching him to read?”

“Yes, I am. But now with Elizabeth here, its much easier to read Shakespeare.” She flipped the bread around to toast the other side. Looking around the small room, she took a few eggs and small pot of water, setting that to boil as well. When the water boiled, Alice cracked the eggs into the water, waiting for the eggs to cook. She scooped the eggs out when they were done, adding oats to the same pot to use the water, not wanting anything to go to waste. 

“I hope she doesn’t get tired of oats.” Alice stirred the pot, nodding as it thickened. “And I’m glad that the men were thoughtful enough to bring those goats and the chickens on board as well.” 

“Don’t give them that much credit. I told the Bo’sun to get them for you.” Hector took the kettle off the range once more and put it on the tray that Alice had used the night before. Alice turned away from the stove, putting plates and mugs on the tray, with milk and fruit preserve on the tray as well. The toast, eggs and the whole mess of oatmeal were settled on the tray, which Alice took hold of and carried to the captain’s quarters. Hector followed her up the stairs, making sure she didn’t drop the tray. 

“Captain, would you mind…?” She jutted her hip out so he could take the key out and unlock the door for her. 

When the door was open, Alice walked in, putting the tray on the long wooden table, putting plates at the chairs, leaving the hot dishes on the trays. Hector handed her the key, then bowed out of the room, shutting the door behind him. 

Alice left the dining area, going into the bedroom area, seeing that Elizabeth was awake and sitting up on the bed. 

“Good morning,” Alice tugged the curtains open, letting in the Caribbean sunlight. “How did you sleep?” 

“Well enough.” Elizabeth stretched and then got up, sticking her feet into her slippers. “I’m still a little scared, but I’m alive right now and that’s all I can hope for.” 

“Well, if you’re hungry, or want to get out of these clothes, I can remedy both. I have a set of clothes that would fit you and breakfast is on the table.” 

“I couldn’t take your clothes!” Elizabeth shook her head, her sleep mussed hair whipping around her face. 

“It’s not taking, its borrowing.” Alice dropped down and pulled her trunk out, taking out a set of clothes. “Its pants and a shirt, but I don’t think you’ll mind too much.” 

Elizabeth took the clothes and ducked behind the threadbare blanket in the corner. When she came out, she was dressed in Alice’s clothes, her nightdress and dressing gown over her arm. 

“They’re a little big, but they should be fine.” Alice tugged on the waist of the pants, before pulling the lacing on the breeches tighter for the younger girl. “Are you hungry?” 

“Yes, I am.” Elizabeth followed her to the dining area, where the food was laid out. 

“Help yourself.” Alice let the girl take her share before she took her own, going to the spice cabinet in the corner, taking out nutmeg and cinnamon to put in her oats. “Would you like some?” 

“Yes please.” Elizabeth took some of the spices, stirring them into her oats. 

“I’m sorry the fare isn’t as elaborate as you are used to.” Alice poured two cups of tea, handing Elizabeth one. 

“Oh, goodness, don’t worry about it.” Elizabeth waved her hand in the air, dismissing her claim. “My father preferred a simple diet, so this is quiet similar to what I usually ate at home.” 

Alice nodded, covering a piece of toast in fruit preserve. “Do you have a good relationship with your father? With him being the governor and all?” 

"How did you... I mean, I'm just a maid..." 

"Elizabeth, I am no simpleton. I can tell that you are a lady of means, and since we did capture you in the Governor's household, it's not hard to piece it together. But don't worry. I'm not going to tell." She smiled and wiped her mouth, watching as Elizabeth relaxed. "So once again, do you have a good relationship with your father?" 

“Oh, yes.” She smiled, wiping her mouth carefully. “It’s been just him and I for the last 8 years. My mother died when I was 9, so my father got a position in Port Royal at the same time, I think to get away from the memories of her.” 

“Oh, so you’re 17?” 

“Yes, I am. How old are you?” 

“18. It’s strange, though, my older brothers were both married by now and I’m content to traverse the world rather than settling down.” 

“You have brothers?” 

“Oh yes, there’s actually 8 of us, myself included.” 

“That’s a lot of siblings. Are you close?” Elizabeth took another egg from the tray. 

“Very. We camp out in the living room when I get back to the house from my travels. Now that my brothers are married, their wives come too, along with my nephew Samuel.” 

“You have a nephew too?” 

“Mhmm. He’s adorable. I hope you’ll be able to meet him one day.”

“Oh, why is that?” 

“I think he would really like you and you him.” Alice looked down at the tabletop, playing with her knife. “I also, despite the circumstances that we have met, have started to think of you as a friend.” 

When she looked at Elizabeth once more, the girl was smiling. “I would like to be your friend too. Even though the circumstances are less than ideal, you’re still a very kind person and I would like very much to keep in touch with you once this is all over.” 

Alice smiled and nodded, taking the younger girl’s hand and gave it a squeeze.

*A*B*

Alice took the tray of dishes, heading to the door to wash them in the galley. “Are you coming?” 

“What do you mean?” Elizabeth looked very confused. 

“To the galley? Do you want to come?” 

Elizabeth nodded, grateful for the chance to stretch her legs, and followed the woman across the deck, down into the galley. 

“What are we doing?” Elizabeth watched as Alice put the tray down and reached for a bucket with a rope around the handle. 

“Washing dishes.” Alice grunted as she threw the bucked out the tiny window, hauling up a bucket of clear ocean water. 

“With sea water?”

“Well, if we use fresh, then we’re wasting drinking water.” Alice poured the water through the mesh, dumping the seaweed out the window before she put the dishes in the bucket to soak. “And once we get it dirty, you really can’t drink it.” 

She got a jar of vinegar and a jar of ash down off the shelf, putting them on the small sideboard with a few ripped rags. “Rags are the most important thing I think to have on a ship. They can be potholders, bandages, dish rags, you can use them to plug holes. We always have them in nearly every room on the ship.” She then pulled a small barrel with a spout out of the corner, lifting it to the table top. 

“What’s in there?” 

“Clean wash water. Its not ocean water, but its stale so I don’t really like to drink it if I don’t have to. I use it for laundry, washing my dishes, but I will drink it when the fresh starts to taste stale because that’s all we have at that point. We also have a goat, so we have milk until it dries up.” 

“And when it does, do you kill her?” 

“No, we trade her for another milk goat. Goats are too expensive to kill. We need the milk more than the meat.” She poured vinegar into a bowl and dumped ash into a different bowl. “We have salt beef and pork in barrels in the hold. Have you washed dishes before?” 

“No, I haven’t.” 

“Okay, the cups and plates get rinsed with water, make sure all the food is off, all the sauces, everything. Then we scrub the metal items with a rag with vinegar and ash, to clean all the grime and whatever is left we scrub twice with vinegar. The ash is too abrasive for the gentler materials, like the porcelain mugs. They’re old and chipped, but my father is still very particular about things.”

“Has he ever washed dishes with you before?” 

“Not in a long time.” Alice laughed. “He showed me when I was first on the ship years ago and then when I had the hang of it, he left me to it.” She smiled, swishing a cup in the saltwater. “He used to help when I was really young and still living with my mother and siblings. He always wanted to spend time with us before he shipped out again.” She rubbed her rag on the cup, frowning at a stubborn tea stain. “It reminded me that he really loved us all, even when he couldn’t spend too much time with us.”

“My father has never done dishes in his life.” Elizabeth laughed, dunking a cup, same as Alice. “He’s always had servants in his home.” 

“My father grew up rather poor. My grandmother came to England from Ireland, met my grandfather and had my father and three other children. Most of her pregnancies never lasted or a few of her children died in infancy. She was very excited when my mother was having babies and only two were miscarried.” 

“But if your father grew up poor, how does he have money now?” 

Alice could tell that Elizabeth had little knowledge of the world outside her little circle, but she still nodded, dunking another cup, handing it to Elizabeth. 

“He ran away at 13. Joined a merchant crew as a cabin boy, but saw that pirates were the ones making money. He jumped ship at 15 and has been pirating ever since. He met my mother at 16 and they got married when he was about to turn 17. She’s never admitted as much, but I think she was pregnant with Antonio when she got married.” She dried a few items that Elizabeth was washing, putting them away in their boxes. 

“My mother and father were never lucky when having children. I was her only successful pregnancy. She died when I was 8. Typhoid fever ran through our town. I got it around the time of my mother, but I recovered, and she didn’t. When my father was given the chance to be the governor of Port Royal, he jumped at the chance, ready to leave England behind.” Elizabeth looked at Alice when they were done with the dishes, unsure of what to do with the water they had been using. 

Alice took hold of the bucket, dumping the water out of the window with a smile. “There, now that’s taken care of. Be warned, tomorrow my father wants me to shine the few silver pieces we have and I’m roping you into it.” 

“I’ve never shined silver before.” 

“Its easy, he just likes when I have a routine here. There isn’t much to do on a ship, especially when we have so many men. I do the same tasks as the men, but I also mend, wash clothes, shine silver, wash dishes, wash floors, I mean, you name it, I’ve probably done it.” 

“I can’t believe you know so much.” Elizabeth followed her out of the room, to the upper deck. 

“I’ve had a lot of experience,” she laughed, holding the door to the captain’s quarters, allowing Elizabeth to enter before she went in herself. “My parents had a multitude of servants, but they still encouraged and sometimes had to force all of us to do our chores, even having my brothers help with domestic work. We have a large house, so we needed all hands on deck.”

*A*B*

Elizabeth changed back into her shift, handing the clothes back over to Alice. “Thank you, Alice. You are a life saver.” 

“No one should have to walk around here in a shift. I would hate it as much as you do, I’m sure.” Alice laughed, folding her shirt and pants, tucking them back into her trunk. 

“Have you ever done that?” 

“No, never. It’s too dangerous.” She snapped the lid down and locked it, standing up and walking over to Elizabeth who was seated on the window seat, facing Alice. 

“What do you mean?” 

“The men…. Well, let’s just say some of them don’t like to say no. There’s a reason why I sleep in here, rather than the crew’s quarters. The door locks. There’s a bolt we lock to keep the men out at night. When I was younger, one of the men who used to be on the ship tried to touch me, but I can’t say that he meant harm or not, but my father marooned him, nevertheless. We still lock the door though.”

“That sounds horrible!” Elizabeth gasped, tightening her dressing gown around her body. 

“It was. I was really young, so I don’t really remember it, but my father does. Sometimes, when Ragetti holds my hand or my arm, my father gets angry, even though he and I are just friends. He sees me as his little sister, but my father still gets very nervous.” 

As they were sitting around and chatting, there was a knock on the door. Alice got up, opening the door to reveal Pintel and Ragetti outside the door, holding a bundle of fabric. She stood back, allowing the men to enter, watching them approach Elizabeth. 

“You'll be dining with the Captain, and he requests you wear this.” Pintel said to Elizabeth, holding up the fabric. As Alice got closer, she saw that the material was a maroon dress, made of a fine fabric. 

“Tell the captain that I am disinclined to acquiesce to his request.” Elizabeth crossed her arms, her face stormy. 

“He said you say that! He also said if that be the case, you'll be dining with the crew, and you'll be naked.” Alice gave the man a look, showing him non verbally that she was displeased with his tone. She thought he looked too happy with the idea that Elizabeth might be forced to undress and dine with the crew. She also thought it was stupid of them to bring up meals, as she could count on one hand the number of times the crew had been in the dining hold. 

Elizabeth yanked the dress out of his hands, bundling it into her arms, raising her eyebrow at the pirate. 

“Fine.” Pintel grabbed Ragetti’s arm and yanked him out of the room. 

Alice perched herself on the table, rolling her eyes at the two as they left. “Let me lock the door so you can change.” 

“Thanks.” She pulled her dressing gown off her body, draping it over the chair next to her as Alice got up to bolt the door shut. She then noticed the little hole in the wood, where there was an eye peeking into the room. 

Alice leaned with her back against the wall, arms crossed, before she took her foot and donkey kicked the wall, smirking as she heard the men who were on the other side rush away, their feet slapping against the wood. She yanked a curtain over the tiny hole, in order to keep the peeping toms out. 

“What was that?” Elizabeth turned, dress in hand. 

“Nothing, don’t worry about it.” Alice went to the small mirror on the wall, taking out her braid and taking off her bandana. As she rebraided her hair into two French braids, she retied her bandana, trying to decide what she was going to do for dinner. She wasn’t sure if her father had planned for her to join them as well. He didn’t like watching her eat, so she thought about eating in the dining hold, or in her bed, behind the curtain. She often hid out from the men, with only Ragetti being able to stomach her eating. 

As Elizabeth got changed, Alice ducked out of the room, locking the door behind her. As she turned around, Pintel and Ragetti looked away guiltily, which told Alice they were the perverts. 

“Really, you two?” She turned around once more, heading into the dining hold to make her supper. She had no energy to make something lavish, settling on taking some biscuits and cold salt pork she had left for herself that morning. As she went into the room, her father looked over at her from stacking a set of plates. 

“What are you doing here, lass?” 

“I’m getting my supper, Papa.” She turned and took a bowl, loading it with her pork and biscuits, pouring a goblet of wine, before her father cleared his throat, turning her back around to face him. 

“Why don’t you join Miss Turner and I for dinner, rather than fending for yourself?” 

“I thought you couldn’t stand watching me eat?” She placed her bowl down on the table, taking a sip of wine. “I’m genuinely surprised you sat with me this morning.”

“Just because I cannot eat does not mean I don’t want to send time with me daughter.” He stepped back as a series of men came in the room to take the trays up to the captain’s dining room. 

“I understand that, but I don’t want you torturing yourself over this.” Alice sat at the table, picking at the salt pork she had. 

“How many times do I have to tell you not to worry about me, as that is my job as your father?”

“At least once more, as always.” She took her bowl and goblet, standing quickly before heading to the door. As she was set to leave, she paused before heading back to press a kiss onto his cheek. “I’ll see you in the dining room then.” 

*A*B*  
Alice sat on the window seat near the dining table, her fingers flying through a piece of fabric, stitching tiny stitches into a patch on the knee of her pants. The flickering light of the candles was just enough to see by, her shears ready on the cushion to snip the extra thread off the garment.

As they waited for Barbossa, Elizabeth paced, the dress flowing gently behind her over the floor. 

“Elizabeth please, you’re making me seasick watching you. Please sit.” Alice gestured with her head to the seat nearest her. 

“I can’t, I’m far too nervous.” 

“Why? He’s not going to kill you at the dinner table.” Alice snipped the extra fabric of the pants, holding them up for inspection. Pleased with the result, she turned to the ripping patch that was on the seat of the pants, beginning her repairs on the back seam. 

Soon enough, Barbossa came into the room, shutting the door gently behind him. Alice looked up, her hands pausing in her stitches, before she folded up the pants and tucked them into the basket at her feet. She could resume her sewing after dinner. 

“Maid or not, it fits you.” He said, looking at Elizabeth, who stood guarded, near the table. 

“Dare I ask the fate of it previous owner?” She was curt, which Alice understood. Not that she should be nervous. The dress was an old one of her sister, Felicity, who gave it to Alice to remember her by. Not that Alice could forget, but she had worn the dress on occasion, usually in British ports, when she needed to pass as a lady. 

Her father, though was not one to admit as much, preferring to remain mysterious and ominous. “Now, none of that. Please dig in.” He sat at the head of the table, looking expectantly at the two girls. 

Alice slipped into the seat at her father’s right, looking down at her plate, unsure of how the night would go. Elizabeth sat before her, looking just as nervous, but for a different reason. Alice knew her father was intimidating, as he did the same to her on occasion. When she was small, she and her brothers would muck around at the dinner table, resulting in her father’s sharp words and occasionally, a sharp smack to the bottom. He hated physically disciplining them, so it was rare, but the few times he had spanked them were enough for her to remember. 

“No need to stand on ceremony, and no call to impress anyone. You must be hungry.” Barbossa was all but ignoring Alice, which she could understand why. Elizabeth was the one they wanted and furthermore, Alice did not fear her father any longer, now that she was an adult. But it still hurt a little, making her wish she had not spoken to him in the dining hold so she could have taken her supper in the hold or behind her curtain. 

She watched as Elizabeth tore into her meat with her teeth like a feral dog, surprised that a lady of such high standing was willing to ignore her manners and use her hands in the same way as Alice’s nephews. She couldn’t believe she was eating like that, and even though Alice was also hungry, she knew she would be reprimanded if she ate with her hands, let alone eating like a crazed person. 

“Try the wine.” 

She drank greedily from the goblet, holding the large cup with two hands, the liquid dribbling a little from her mouth. Alice turned her eyes back down, focusing on her own meal, intent on finishing and moving back to her sewing. 

As she tried to ignore the two, Elizabeth took a piece of bread and devoured it, as if she hadn’t been fed for days, rather than hours. 

“And the apples -- one of those next.” He offered her a green fruit, one that his daughter knew he loved with all his heart. Her mother had been an apple seller, making desserts and cider to sell when they lived in England, and her father had fallen in love with both her and the fruit. She knew he wished desperately to be able to taste the flesh of the apple once more, to the point of spending large sums of money to have the fresh fruit on the ship, even when he could not consume it. 

“It's poisoned!” She pushed her plate away from her, causing Alice to look at her confused. There was no reason for her to believe that, as she herself was eating from the same platters as the younger girl, but she supposed fear could play tricks on one’s mind. 

“Oh, there would be no sense in killing you, Miss Turner.” Barbossa laughed, chuckling at her, as she looked shocked. 

Then release me. You have your trinket. I am of no further value to you!” She looked panicked and Alice was shocked, wondering where this panic was the night before. She had been calmer, but the longer she was away from her father, the more she was fearful of her future, Alice supposed. 

Barbossa took out the medallion, letting it dangle in his fingers, almost taunting her. “You don’t know what this is, do you?”

“It's a pirate medallion.”

“This is Aztec gold. One of eight-hundred and eighty-two identical pieces they delivered in a stone chest to Cortés himself. Blood money paid to stem the slaughter he wreaked upon them with his armies. But the greed of Cortés was insatiable. So the heathen gods placed upon the gold a terrible curse. Any mortal that removes but a single piece from that stone chest shall be punished for eternity.”

“I hardly believe in ghost stories anymore, Captain Barbossa.” She was very sure of herself, which Alice knew her father would have admired. 

“Aye! That's exactly what I thought when we were first told the tale! Buried on an Island of the Dead what can't be found 'cept by those who know where it 'tis. Find it, we did. There be the chest, inside be the gold, and we took them all. We spent 'em and traded 'em and frittered 'em away…on drink and food and pleasurable company.” He got up and walked to stand behind Elizabeth, leaning into her personal space. “The more we gave them away, the more we came to realize – the drink would not satisfy, food turned to ash in our mouths, and all the pleasurable company in the world could not slake our lust. We are cursed men, Miss Turner, save me daughter. Compelled by greed we were, but now we are consumed by it.” 

He walked away from the girl as Jack screeched. Hector walked away from the table, allowing the monkey to jump onto his shoulder, petting the tiny head of the beast. Alice continued to look down at her plate, carefully eating, not wanting to show her father that she was listening to the conversation. He hated talking about the curse with her, not wanting her to worry, but she was always curious. And he had to realize that Ragetti had already spilled the beans about the nature of the curse. 

“There is one way we can end our curse. All the scattered pieces of the Aztec gold must be restored and the blood repaid. Thanks to ye we have the final piece.”

“And the blood to be repaid?” Her voice was timid, as if she knew the answer.

“That's why there's no sense to be killing you. Yet. Apple?”

Elizabeth screamed, pulling a knife off her lap which neither Barbossa or Alice had noticed she had. As Elizabeth got up from the table, Barbossa grabbed the collar of Alice’s shirt, pulling her out of her chair, before he pushed her into the other room, blocking the doorway with his body. 

Elizabeth ran at him and Alice watched from the floor, too shocked to get up, seeing the younger girl struggle with her father as she tried to stab him. Alice knew it wouldn’t work, and she was more likely to get herself killed, but she was amazed as always that her father, a fearsome selfish man, was willing to put himself in between the knife wielding girl and his daughter, offering his daughter protection. 

Soon enough, with a scream, Elizabeth plunged the knife into his chest, looking satisfied. 

Barbossa was completely unaffected, opening his coat to get a better look at the knife. Pulling it out with little effort, he looked at the bloody knife, then back at Elizabeth, examining her shocked face. “I'm curious -- after killing me, what is it you're planning on doing next?”

Elizabeth looked shocked and horrified that her plan didn’t work, before she turned to run out the door. Barbossa followed, standing in the doorway to watch, leaving Alice to crawl after him, resting on the floor by his feet, wrapping her arm around his leg, watching as well. 

The crew worked on deck, their flesh stripped away to reveal bones and tattered cloth. The men worked on repairing sails, scrubbing floors, and hauling cargo into the hold. The two watched as Elizabeth ran around the deck, trying to avoid the men, screaming as they lunged at her. She jumped away, landing in the cargo hold, landing on a net, in which the men tossed her around in, getting enjoyment out of it. 

“Papa, why are they doing this to her?” 

He looked down, putting his hand on her head before turning back on deck. “It’s been a long time since we’ve had a prisoner, lass. They’re bored and she is quite the easy target.” 

“It’s not fair to her.” 

“No, but I’m not going to be the one to ruin their fun.” 

After a while, she was chased up to the helm, where the two in the doorway were unable to see. They heard a commotion but saw nothing until she came back down the stairs, hiding behind the stairs. Jack dropped down to scream at her, causing Elizabeth to scream and run, right back to Barbossa who caught her roughly and turned her back around.

“Look! LOOK!” He shook her roughly, making sure she was paying attention to his words. “The moonlight shows us for what we really are! We are not among the living, and so we cannot die -- but neither are we dead!” 

Alice let his leg go, scooting back to allow him his space to walk out of the room, to expose himself to the moonlight. 

“For too long I have been parched of thirst, and unable to quench it! Too long, I have been starving to death – and haven't died!” He raised his hand, exposing it to the light, as Elizabeth backed out of the room, horrified. “I feel nothing ... Not the wind on my face, nor the spray of the sea ..... nor the warmth of a woman's flesh.” 

He left the room fully, his clothing becoming tattered, his skin melting away to reveal bones. “You'd best start believing in ghost stories, Miss Turner. You're in one.”

He took a bottle of wine, popped the cork and started to drink. The liquid flowed down his throat, falling out his ribcage, which was open and stripped of flesh, the wine soaking into his clothes. Alice sighed, knowing he had a flair for dramatics, but she would be the one who would need to scrub the wine stains out of his clothing. 

Elizabeth gasped and ran around him, rushing past Alice to curl up on the floor, her arms going around her knees. Alice stayed where she was, looking between the girl and her father, before her father turned to smash the bottle on the door, then slammed the doors closed. Alice saw the glass that lingered on the floor, crawling to the glass to pick up the large pieces before someone stepped on them. 

“What are ye looking at? Back to work!” She heard her father through the door as she stood up, glass in hand, before she went to the window to toss the glass out, to make sure no one stepped on the shards, especially she and Elizabeth, who could bleed and get hurt. 

“Why didn’t you tell me about the curse?” Elizabeth’s face was tear stained, her breath ragged. 

“I wasn’t supposed to.” Alice closed the window then sat on the floor with her, keeping her distance from the younger girl. “I’m sorry.” 

“How can you stay here with that man?” 

“He’s my father, Elizabeth. I can’t just leave.” Alice allowed Elizabeth to scoot closer, wrapping her arms around the younger girl who she could tell needed to comfort. 

Elizabeth sniffled. “They’re going to kill me.” 

“No, he won’t. He just needs a few drops of blood. He was just trying to scare you so you don’t try to leave. I’ll make sure nothing happens to you afterward, I promise.” 

“How can you promise that?” Elizabeth looked up at the girl with confusion. 

“My father owes me. I’ve dealt with this curse for the entire time I’ve been on this ship. He might not like it, but this is something I’ll put my foot down on.” Alice wasn’t sure why she was being so kind to this girl, having only met her a few days before.

“Thank you, Alice.” 

“You’re welcome, Elizabeth. You’re welcome.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much! Let’s talk about historical context! Washing dishes in the colonial period was a bit of an ordeal. Ashes and Vinegar were used to scour dishes, rather than soap. Soap wasn’t that great in this period, rather than today. There was no dish soap like today, where it was easy and convenient to get and to use. The soap was soft and mostly used for washing one’s body. If you are interested in learning more about using vinegar and ashes for dish washing, James Townsend made a great video about washing dishes on Youtube and I highly suggest checking it out. 
> 
> Also, ships in the colonial period would use sea water for just about everything. The sea water and the salt content was used to preserve the wood of the ship, used to wash dishes and just about everything else. Fresh water was reserved for drinking and cooking as it was harder to get when on the open ocean. If you want to read more about the subject, Colonial Vessels: Some Seventeenth-Century Sailing Craft by William A. Baker is a really good place to start. 
> 
> http://www.garyolds.com/files/ColonialSoapMaking--HistoryTechniques.pdf  
> https://roleofwomenincolonialtimes.weebly.com/making-soap.html


	4. Boy Talk

Alice and Elizabeth sat on the edge of the captain’s bed, with Alice brushing out Elizabeth’s hair that had become mussed from the crew chasing her around the deck. Alice unraveled a leather string from her wrist, using it to tie up the girl’s hair, making sure the strands were out of her face. 

“There, now you should be good for the night.” Alice got up and shed her coat, hanging it on a nail embedded in the wood. 

“Thank you, you’ve been so kind to me through this process.” Elizabeth wrung her hands. “I know this can’t be easy for you.” 

“No, but it’s alright.” She smiled, before picking up a book from the side table. “Since we finished Hamlet last night, I think we should start Othello tonight, if Ragetti comes after he’s done with his duties.” 

“Do you think he will, now that I know of the curse?” 

“Yes, I think so. He and I are friends, so that won’t keep him away. He’s gonna to apologize a thousand times for not telling you anything last night, though. So be prepared for that.” 

“Why would he be sorry for anything?”

“He knew about the curse and has been the only pirate other than my father to spend a large amount of time with you. He could have told you, but never did. He’s pretty sensitive as a person. He hates feeling like someone is mad at him for any reason.” She shrugged, tugging off her boots and slipping on her soft mule slippers that she rarely wore on the deck. 

“He seems like a good man.” 

“He is. He could have been anything he wanted to be, but Pintel roped him into piracy. Hopefully, he gets a way out of piracy, but I don’t know if he ever will.” Alice took her weapon harness off, leaving them on the side table near her bed. 

“Won’t he always be wanted as a pirate?” 

“With the British, yes, but he could move to the colonies or to France and be fine. He’s only wanted in the Caribbean. We all are. There are wanted signs for nearly all of us on this vessel, but if we go somewhere else, we could very easily blend into society.” 

“Have other pirates done that? They would have to, for you to know that.” 

“Oh yes, Henry Morgan for one. He was the governor of Port Royal before Weatherby Swann was and when he died, he received a state funeral and the like. But he was a pirate through and through.” 

“Wait, really? I guess I never thought about that. I never really read up on pirates after they stopped being pirates.”

Alice carefully watched Elizabeth as she mentioned the Governor of Port Royal, noting the jolt of recognition, more so than a maid would have ever jumped. Alice knew then the woman’s true identity, knowing now that her blood was worthless. But she was conflicted, knowing that if she told her father, her new friend would be killed. 

“My father has been thinking about retiring eventually, returning to my mother and siblings one day for the rest of his life.” 

“Really? I never would have thought that he would want that.” 

“His life has always been at sea, but I think eventually, he’ll want to settle back into family life.” Alice went into the dining hold and took her place once more, finishing her meal now that she was more relaxed. “Would you care to join me? I know you didn’t get to finish. This food won’t keep for very long now that it’s been cooked. We don’t have the place to store it.” 

“Yes please.” Elizabeth sat across from Alice, forgoing her silverware, digging into the meal once more with her fingers. 

Alice took a careful look at the door, waiting for her father to come through the door. When he didn’t, she too forgot about her silverware, picking apart the pork on her plate with her fingers. 

“Why were you so quiet when your father was here earlier?” 

“He didn’t want to speak to me. I know enough from my childhood that when he’s speaking to another at dinner, I am expected to remain quiet. Even when I have dinner with my older siblings, with most of us being adults, some with wives and children, we still speak when spoken to most of the time. Sometimes we talk amongst ourselves, but only quietly, not to disturb my father’s conversations with my mother.” 

“I couldn’t imagine living like that. My father and I always talked at mealtimes together.”

“I’m sure its usually just the two of you dining together most of the time.” Alice tore into a piece of bread, spreading a thick layer of butter on the insides. “After all, I know you’re a woman of means.”

“What? No, I’m a maid in the governor’s household.”

“No you’re not. You’re the governor’s daughter. Elizabeth, don’t treat me like a fool.” 

“I’m not… Alice, I…. Please don’t tell anyone! They’ll kill me!” 

“I know they will. Elizabeth, understand I cannot protect you forever. In a few days, we will be coming up on the Isla de Muerta. When they try to use your blood, it won’t work. I can’t protect you then. You have till then to find a solution or to pray to God that you can be delivered.” She sighed. “In good conscience, I should tell my father about this. He’s going to be furious.”

“I know. But please, help me until then.” 

“I can try. But, if they find out, I can’t save you.” Alice reached out, taking the girl’s hand. “I’ll do what I can, I promise.” Alice gave her hand a squeeze. “Now tell me, do you always dine with your father or do you have other guests?” 

“Not always. Sometimes, the man I’ve been courting joins us.” Elizabeth smiled, her teeth a brilliant white. She seemed less afraid now that Alice knew the truth. 

“Oh? You’re courting someone? Tell me more about him.”

“Oh, Commodore James Norrington of the Royal Navy. I’m sure you’ve heard of him.”

“I have. He chased my father and I across the sea for a year or two when I first joined the crew. He had to have only been a lieutenant then.” 

“He had to have been. He’s only been a commodore for the last few days. Of course, I managed to get captured, so rescuing me would be the first mission he undertakes.” She rolled her eyes, eying the apples on the table. 

“Help yourself. My father keeps buying these apples but cannot eat them. Please, eat them, it’s just money wasted.” 

Elizabeth nodded, taking an apple and slicing it open, cutting it into pieces. “I’m just not sure if I should say yes to the Commodore’s proposal.” 

“He proposed?” Alice wiped her fingers, reaching into the bowl of roast potatoes, taking a pinch of salt from the salt bowl on the center of the table, sprinkling the grains on her potatoes. “Why wouldn’t you accept?” 

“I…. I don’t love him, if I’m being honest. He loves me, that I know, but I want him to meet someone that loves him with the same energy.” She sighed, sipping her wine. “I know I will have to accept, its only proper, but there is another who has my heart.” 

“Oh, so they love you back?” 

“I don’t know. He’s quite below my station and I doubt my father would approve, but… I wish I could try.” 

“Tell him. Your father I mean, how you feel.” Alice poured herself another goblet of wine. 

“I can’t. He’s a blacksmith. My father would never understand. Furthermore, he likes the Commodore.” 

“I think he’ll be able to get over it.” Alice laughed, popping a piece of potato into her mouth. “He’ll have to understand. After all, you’re his only daughter so your happiness would be his greatest concern.” 

“You don’t seem to understand…”

“I do. My father is a wealthy man, Elizabeth. In my town, we have many servants, most of which were slaves before they came to my father. I am expected to marry well after I’m through ‘galivanting with pirates’ as my mother likes to put it.” 

“What? Your father is a slaver?” 

“No, he’s not.” Alice tore off another piece of pork. “He buys slaves and gives them their freedom, offering them work and a wage, a place to live if they want it or the aid to get back to their homelands if they want that instead. My brother Charles owns his own shipping company and has returned many a slave to Africa. However, you can’t take them without paying. So, my father pays and frees them. A good portion of his shares goes to the freeing of slaves, if I’m being honest. The Bo’sun was one such man. My father bought his freedom and offered him a job as his right-hand man.” 

“You’re kidding.” 

“No, I’m not, I promise. Look-“ 

She got up and went to her father’s desk, rifling through the desk till she found a folded-up piece of paper. “Here.” 

She offered Elizabeth the paper, which she unfolded, revealing the Bo’sun’s freedom papers. “And see here,” she pointed. “Paid for by Hector Antonio Barbossa.” 

“My goodness. Your father is quite the good man.” She seemed conflicted in her words. While on one hand, he had been offering people their freedom and their lives back, on the other, he had captured her and was taking her to an island where she may very well be killed. 

“He knows he can’t stop the slave trade himself. He knows that spending money on slaves only aids the trade, but he keeps families together. He purposely looks for slave families, making sure to keep them together, to make sure they have lodging together. He knows what its like to not see your family for an extended period of time, he knows what it’s like to pine for your wife. He can’t change people’s minds, but he can limit the amount of slaves in the world.” 

“I’m surprised. So if you had servants, why did you all help with chores?” 

“To make sure we didn’t grow up spoiled. To make sure we all knew how to run a household. To my family, it was important for us to know how to make a home on our own, even for my brothers.” 

“My family never did such a thing.” Elizabeth frowned. “I have no idea how to wash clothes, I just now learned how to wash dishes, I can’t cook. I’m going to be a terrible wife.”

“Not if you marry the commodore. To be honest, it was the lack of knowledge about washing dishes that tipped me off about your true identity. As a maid, I knew you should have some basic knowledge about all household manners. Be careful who you admit things to here, people will remember.” She looked out the window just behind Elizabeth. “They always remember.” 

*A*B*

A few days later, Elizabeth sat on the window seat, her feet tucked up under her body. Alice sat at the table, stitching her pants as the men walked in, with Pintel carrying a length of rope. The girls looked up, to see the men standing before the table, with Pintel looking sheepishly at Elizabeth. 

“Time to go, poppet.” He held the rope up, trying not to make eye contact with her. 

Twigg bound Elizabeth's hands in front of her after they walked onto the deck, Alice watching on. Barbossa draped the Medallion around her neck before they walked to the longboats, Alice aided Elizabeth in getting into the boat, not trusting the men to not try to touch her. 

Elizabeth sat in the bow of a longboat, one of several rowing away from the Black Pearl, all laden with booty. Behind them, the ship faded into the fog. Ahead of Elizabeth, a dark sea cave opening loomed. The longboats glided in and were swallowed by darkness. Alice sat in the same boat, next to her father who held an apple in his hand, examining the flesh of the fruit. She knew he longed to taste it, more than anything else in his life. She saw it in his eyes when she ate her dinner, when he smelled whatever it was she had prepared. When she ordered the food she would need to consume, when she needed a wrap for the cold sea air, when she wiped the sea spray off her face when the waters were rough. All these times, he was reminded of the curse that plagued them all. 

As they landed and got out of the longboats, Alice walked through the cave, a bag clutched in her hand. She carried a few things with her whenever they landed: a change of clothes, a small money pouch, a small bible and the drawings and letters from her family. Now she moved through the treasure, picking up coins and jewels, stuffing them into her bag, having a feeling she would need them in the coming days. She wasn’t sure, but she had a feeling. 

Twigg yanked on the rope that held Elizabeth captive, pulling her through the cave. Alice saw her fear, and slung her bag over her shoulders, across her body, before taking the rope in her hand and pushing the pirate away. 

“I got it from here, go be useful somewhere else.” She snapped, wrapping the extra cord around her hand to keep them from taking it from her. 

He grumbled, but left, leaving the girls alone. 

“Thanks.” 

“Any time. Stay close to Ragetti and Pintel. They’ll make sure you stay safe. I already tasked them with such.”

“Are you sure they’ll listen to you?”

“We have to, or she’ll kill us.” Pintel joked, holding one end of a large trunk. 

“Either way, she’s been good to us, so we try to return the favor.” Ragetti held the other end, carrying it into the cave. 

As the pirates worked, Barbossa stood at the base of a large pile in the center of the cave, looking up at the large chest. Alice knew it held the gold coins that they had taken nearly a decade before. She let the rope go, looking at Ragetti, nodding to Elizabeth, before she walked to her father, who gave her a glance as she approached. 

“Captain.” 

“Alice.” 

“How are you fairing?” 

“Well enough. I’m ready to be quit of this curse.” He turned to face her fully. “I was thinking that after this is all over, we can go see your mother and stay at the house for a while before shoving off once more. Any place you want to go, you say the word and we’ll go there.”

“Actually, I was wondering if there would be a way we could keep the girl alive. Protected from the crew and possibly return her to the Governor.”

“Why, she be but a maid.” 

“I know, but she has to have some kind of family or friends in Port Royal. She’s my friend now Papa. I just want to make sure she doesn’t die due to us.” She cursed herself, knowing she had probably given up her new friend’s identity, but she prayed her father would remain ignorant. With any luck, he would be distracted by the promise of the curse being lifted. 

“I can’t promise we can return her to the governor, but I’ll make sure that she’s not killed after this. Is that fair enough? I know you have too few friends in this world, with the closest thing being you and Master Ragetti, which I am not too fond of, mind you.” 

“Why not, Papa?” 

“You and that man alone so much? Tis not proper.” 

“But you didn’t care when Richard and I were alone when we were at home.” 

“Because Richard and you were barely 8 last time you saw each other. Alice, you be 18. It be high time you be thinking of marriage and settling down, not travelling with me.”

“I don’t want to be married right now Papa. Anyways, no one will want to marry me. I’m a pirate remember?”

“That don’t mean anything. You’re a fine girl. You’ll be married soon enough.” He turned to face the men as Koehler gave Elizabeth a hard shove, pushing her to the Aztec chest. 

“Move.”

As her father and Koehler took Elizabeth to the top of the hill with the coin, Alice went to Ragetti and Pintel, who were fiddling with the lock on the chest they were carrying, trying to open the lid to toss the treasure inside onto the growing piles. 

“Ten years of hoarding swag ---” Pintel was saying.

“-- and now we finally get to spend it!” 

They dumped the chest, picking through it. Ragetti found a parasol, opening it to twirl it around. Alice came over, picking up one of the dresses, holding the fabric up to the light of the torches. It seemed fairly sound, so she took her knife out of her boot and made quick work of separating the skirt from the bodice, folding the fabric into her bag. 

“Once we're quit of the curse -- we'll be rich men, 'n you can buy an eye what actually fits -- and's made of glass.” Pintel held a dress up to his body for a moment, then tossed it down onto the pile. 

“This one does splinter something terrible ...”

“Stop rubbin' it!” He pulled his nephew’s hand away, with the three turning to face the Bo’sun, who gave them all a dark look. When the man walked away, Alice saw all the pirates standing around the large pile of gold in the center, where her father and Elizabeth were standing.

“We should go and join them.” Alice took the parasol from the younger of the two men, throwing it down on the pile with a smile. When they got to the group, Alice abandoned the others and walked up the giant gold hill, coming to stand next to Elizabeth, who looked terrified. 

“Gentlemen, the time has come! Our salvation is nigh! Our torment is near an end.” Her father cried, his voice booming and echoing in the cave. “For ten years, we've been tested and tried and each man-jack of you here has proved his mettle a hundred times over, and a hundred times again!” He tossed his hands in the air, his emotions clearly running high. 

“Suffered I have!” Ragetti shouted, with the others voicing their agreement.

Punished we were, the lot of us.” He pounded his fist into his other hand to make his point further. “Disproportionate to our crime!”

The men cried out in excitement, causing Alice to turn away. She knew she should have said something. Every time her father addressed her about the curse, when Ragetti talked to her about his life after the curse and the dreams he had, she felt like someone was kicking her in the chest. She knew they were about to be disappointed, as the governor’s daughter would only be helpful for ransom, not to break the curse. 

Her father kicked the lid off the chest, revealing the gold coins in the stone container. Alice turned back, putting on a brave face for show, as she touched Elizabeth’s elbow with her hand.

“Here ‘tis, the cursed treasure of Cortés himself. Every last piece that went astray we have returned- save for this.” Barbossa pointed to medallion around Elizabeth's neck.

The cave erupted in cheers and Alice always thought she would be amongst them, sharing in their joy, but she was wrong. If they had the right person, perhaps, but not when her friend’s life was now I danger. She had not thought the idea of keeping her identity secret through and now they would both pay the price. Elizabeth would most likely lose her life and Alice might as well, but she had no idea what was to happen to her. 

Barbossa picked up the stone knife, raising it high. “And who among us has paid the blood sacrifice owed to the heathen gods?” 

“AYE!” The crew let out a loud cry, raising their fists in the air. Whether she was happy or not, she had to admit her father was very good at rallying people. She had never seen them so unified in her years on the Pearl as they were now. 

“And whose blood must yet be paid?”

“HERS!” All the men pointed to Elizabeth, who looked ready to pass out. As Alice was standing very close to her, she could just make out the Lord’s Prayer coming from the girl’s mouth, which Alice could understand the need to pray. She was about to herself, if she was being honest. She had told Elizabeth to pray for deliverance, and she seemed to be doing just that.

Barbossa stepped toward Elizabeth with Elizabeth shrinking back, but Twigg and Koehler took her by both of her arms and yanked her forward, tearing her away from Alice. Barbossa leans close to the younger girl, a devilish smile on his face.

“You know the first thing I'm going to do after the curse is lifted? Eat a whole bushel of apples.” He stood up straight once more, raising the knife once more. 

“Begun by blood, the blood undone!” Hector grabbed Elizabeth's wrist and sliced her palm. He clapped the medallion into her hand and closed her fist around it, before removing it, which revealed it was now stained with Elizabeth's blood.

“That's it?” Elizabeth was confused and Alice was as well, but she reached forward, taking Elizabeth back from her father, knowing they were still cursed men. 

“Waste not!” He held the medallion above the chest and dropped it in. The pirates grew tense, waiting expectantly. Eventually, they all looked at each other, then at themselves. Nothing seemed to happen outwardly, but Alice knew nothing was going to happen at all, not until they found the right person.

“Did it work?” Alice heard Koehler ask, which made Alice bite her lip to keep it from quivering. Even though she hated to admit it, as much as she fought with these men, they were her family, as far as murdering pirates were concerned. She hated that she had kept this from them, more so her father than anyone else. 

“I don't feel no different.” Ragetti looked around at all the men, confused.

“How do we tell?”

Barbossa frowned, drawing his pistol, and shot Pintel square in the chest. Pintel looked down at his chest, but didn’t die.

‘Fuck.’ Alice thought, looking at the scene with wide eyes. She had hoped against hope that her blood would have worked, but it was clear that God was not handing out miracles that day. 

“You're not dead.”

“No.” He was relieved, but then realized the captain would have killed him without second thought. “He shot me!”

“It didn't work!” He shrieked, his eyes wide. Alice pulled Elizabeth further behind her, knowing the men would soon round on the girl. 

“The curse is still upon us!”

Her father realized what was going on, as he reached behind Alice and yanked Elizabeth forward, holding her arms in both of his. “You. Maid. Your father. What was his name?! Was your father William Turner?!” He shook her roughly, his eyes wide with panicked rage. 

“No.” Elizabeth smirked, pleased that she had the upper hand on the perceptive pirate. 

Barbossa composed himself barely getting his anger under control, his hands clenched on her arms hard enough to leave bruises. “Where's his child? The child that sailed from England eight years ago, the child in whose veins flows the blood of William Turner?! Where?” 

When she stayed silent, Hector issued her a hearty backhand, knocking her down the pile. Alice looked at him, shocked, never seeing such a display from him in her 18 years. 

“Papa!” she cried, before his look toward her rendered her silent. 

“You two. You brought us the wrong person!” The Bo'sun yelled to the uncle and nephew, who looked panicked to be addressed by the man. 

“No, she had the medallion! She's the proper age!” 

“She said her name was Turner! You heard her! I think she lied to us.” Ragetti commented, shying away from the Bo'sun's gaze.

“Wait, she’s been with the girl the entire time we’ve been on the ship! Why didn’t she say anything?” 

Hector turned to his daughter, who’s face was turning red. “Did she say anything about her identity?” 

“I… I had suspicions that she wasn’t a maid, but none that… alright, she and I did talk. I knew she wasn’t the daughter of Turner. I don’t know who she is, but she had to know who Turner is, how else would she know the name? She’s still useful!” 

Hector got closer, his face stormy and his voice quiet. “You don’t know the trouble you’re in, little missy. You just wait till we get to the ship. Get out of my sight.” He waved his hand to dismiss her, resulting in Alice sliding down the mountain to Elizabeth, who was still unconscious.

“Elizabeth, please wake up.” Alice whispered, shaking the girl as a hand came out of the water to cover Elizabeth's mouth. Alice opened her mouth to gasp, but stopped, watching the head of a young man leave the water. 

Elizabeth slid into the water after grabbing the medallion at the water’s edge, looking at Alice with pleading eyes. 

“Go,” she whispered. “I’ll buy you some time.” 

“Come with us.” 

“I can’t. Just go, please. I'm in enough trouble as it is. I can stall a little, but not for long. Hurry!” 

Elizabeth nodded and she and the man swam off, leaving Alice sitting near the water’s edge, listening to the pirates. 

Alice crawled silently to the other side of the pile, not wanting to be seen near where Elizabeth fell. 

“You brought us here for nothing?” She heard Twigg scream, and the ring of a sword being drawn. 

“I won't take questioning or second guesses, not from the likes of you, Mister Twigg.” 

“Who's to blame him? Every decision you've made's led us from bad to worse!

“It's you who sent Bootstrap to the depths –” 

“And it’s you who brought us here in the first place.” The Bo'sun called, his voice steely. 

“Any coward here dare challenge me, let him speak! Hmm?” Alice figured no man dare make a move, as she heard the shuffling of feet on wet rock and the pang of steel as a sword was put away. 

“I say we cut her throat and spill all her blood, just in case.” 

Alice supposed that was the end of the head start, so she turned and crawled slightly toward where Elizabeth had been, before crying up to her father, “Captain, Captain! She’s gone!”

Her father came to the edge, looking down at her, his eyes narrow, untrusting, only to see that she was telling the truth. 

“The medallion! She’s taken it! Get after her! You feckless pack of ingrates.” He turned back to the men.

As the pirates ran, Alice stayed where she was, knowing her father wouldn’t take well to her disobeying his last orders. As the cave emptied, she heard the tinkling of coins as Hector slid down to her, coming to rest near her, leaning against the hill. 

“So, without the men here, would ye like to have the chance to explain yourself?” 

“She’s my friend, Papa. She was so scared and alone…. Remember when Don Claudio kidnapped me when I was 15?” 

Alice had been a very trusting young adult and had taken the offer of friendship from a pirate captain named Don Claudio. He had treated her with kindness before taking her aboard his ship, without her or her father’s consent. It had taken Hector weeks to find her, but when he did, he found a half starved girl, being held in the brig of a ship, crewed by men who were surprised to see that he actually cared about his own daughter. Alice assumed they would have thought as a pirate captain, he cared for no one but himself. Hector had slaughtered all the men that day, his crew finding delight in the murders. Since then, Barbossa refused to allow her to wander by herself wherever they landed, even when they were in her hometown, he still forced her to have some sort of escort, be that a servant, her parents or any of her siblings. 

“Aye, that I do.” 

“I was her, when I was 15. I was alone on a ship with strange men, I had given them a false name to protect myself and I was so scared. Granted for me, the false name didn’t work too well. They knew who I was. But I was scared they would maroon me, kill me, assault me, all three maybe… I had no idea what was going to happen. I know that fear, Papa. When she asked me, I couldn’t say no. I just couldn’t. I’m sorry…” she sniffled, wiping her nose on her dirty sleeve. 

“Oh lass… you have a big heart.” He slid the rest of the way down and sat with her on the wet sand. “ You know this can’t go unpunished, however.” 

“I know. I really am sorry. The guilt has been eating me alive for the last week and a half.” 

“I’m sure it has. The men aren’t going to listen to feelings, though, love.” He shifted, clearly not sure of what he should do to aid her in her plight. 

“I know. Pintel and Ragetti will, but no one else. I’m really in for it now, aren’t I?” She looked down at her lap, not able to look at her father, not wanting to see the disappointment in his eyes. 

“That you are. Don’t think that I’m not furious for this.” 

“I’m not thinking that at all.” She dabbed her eyes with her sleeve, not wanting to raise her head, to keep her father from seeing her tears. 

“Hush,” He handed her a handkerchief from his pocket and stood, patting her head as he turned to go back up the pile. “Compose yourself and come back up when you’re ready.” 

She nodded, wiping the tears from her eyes and blowing her nose. When she was sure the red blotchy skin had calmed down, she got up, heading up the pile to stand with her father once more. As she got to the top, the Bo'sun came back in the cave room. 

“Captain, you need to see this.” 

“What in the blazes could be so important you can’t bring it to me?” 

“Sir, it’s Sparrow.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I don’t want people to think that I am making up the idea of people buying slaves to free them. I did turn Barbossa into a man who aided slaves to give them freedom and/or a servant’s job, but people did do that mostly during the 1860s. James Buchanan bought his sister’s two slaves and freed them, only to turn them into indentured servants and Lincoln tried to buy slaves, just to free them as well. 
> 
> Also I love dad!Barbossa, but I don’t think he would be warm and fuzzy in the slightest. I don’t know, that’s just how I see him. When he interacts with Carina, he equates her to treasure, not telling her he loves her. That’s not his style. His and Alice’s backstory will be revealed a little more as the story goes on, but thank you for reading so far.


	5. Escape the Pearl

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh boy, a new OC going into the story! So a little backstory about my OC and how he came to be. I find it nearly impossible to fathom that Jack Sparrow didn’t have a child. Canonically, he’s a bit of a sex addict. We see this with the Scarlett and Giselle. SO, my need to give him a child was born. I am not sure how big of a role he’s going to play in this book and the next, but I have plans for him later, to be an important character to Alice and others that will be introduced later. 
> 
> Thank you for reading!

Jack leaned on the oar, the pirates eyeing him. They parted, wide enough to make a path for their captain and Barbossa stepped out to see Sparrow, like the Bo’sun had said. He stared, with Alice coming up behind him, looking excited to see him in person. She had heard stories about him and had read his stories in books and papers, but to see him in person was so much more exciting.

Behind him, Alice saw a young boy with dark brown hair behind the pirate, which Alice was a little confused as to who he was. She knew her father was an anomaly, traveling and pirating with his daughter, knowing most pirates refused to travel with children. She wasn’t sure who this child was to Sparrow, but she was intrigued to find out. 

“How the blazes did you get off that island?” Her father’s brow furrowed, confused as to how the other pirate had gotten to the island.

“When you marooned me on that God-forsaken spit of land, you forgot one very important thing, mate. I’m Captain Jack Sparrow.”

“Ah, well, I won’t be making that mistake again. Gents, you all remember Captain Jack Sparrow! Kill him.” 

As her father turned away, the pirates took aim, with Hector pulling her away from the man. 

“The girl's blood didn't work, did it?” The man’s voice came from behind them, smug, knowing.

“Hold your fire.” Barbossa turned back around, his face stormy. 

“You know whose blood we need.” He then noticed the boy behind the older man, taking in the boy’s features. With a smirk, he turned to look at the Bo’sun with glee. Alice was confused, butr figured her father would explain himself later. 

“I know whose blood you need.”

“And who be this, your cabin boy?” 

“Aye it be.” Jack tugged the boy even farther away for Barbossa, clearly not trusting the man. Alice could understand why. Her father could be terrifying when he wanted to be.

“Where you’d find him? He be quite scrawny. Do you not care for your crew?” the older man smirked, eying the boy up and down. “And do ye have no standards? He be what, 8, the oldest?” 

“Excuse me, I’m 12.” The boy piped up, making the Black Pearl crew laugh. The gumption on the boy was refreshing, as very few people in the world were comfortable talking back to Hector Barbossa. 

Alice frowned a little, but chose to stay silent, knowing her father and the crew were not too pleased with her, therefore she should just keep her mouth shut. 

And what be your name, boy?” 

“Avery.” the boy was clipped in tone and Alice noticed her father was eying the child up and down. 

“And who is this young lass?” Jack turned to face Alice, who stepped up to stand nearer to her father, a smirk on her face. 

“Alice Barbossa, Mr. Sparrow.” She adjusted her coat, then placed her hand on his sword, ready to cut the man to ribbons if he made any sort of move on her. Her father also seemed to have the same thought, as his hand went to his pistol. When Jack turned away in fear of the older man, Barbossa pulled his daughter away, keeping his body between the two. 

Barbossa smirked, then turned back to the men, gesturing to the crew to take the longboats from the shores to place them into the water. Then, the two were strong armed into the boats, with Barbossa and Alice joining them in the same boat. 

*A*B*

Barbossa sat at his table, his hands crossed on the desktop, with Alice leaning against the wall behind him, watching Sparrow pace the cabin. The boy, who was ignoring them all, it seemed at least, was pilfering the fruit bowl that Alice had brought up from the Galley, as she had noted how skinny he was in the cave. He wouldn’t be on the ship long, but Alice figured it was worth the time to feed him, at least a little before he was either killed or marooned. Her father did not take prisoners for very long, but she hoped he would show a little mercy to the boy. She had never known him to kill children, but there was always an exception.

“So you expect to leave me standing on some beach with nothing but a name and your word, it's the one I need, and watch you sail away on my ship?”

Jack prowled the cabin, touching various items in the room. Alice noticed he was examining her bed, which she had neglected to shut and lock the morning of, eying her trinkets she had on the few shelves. She pushed off the wall quickly, tucking the blankets into the cabinet, before slamming the doors shut to lock them. He turned around then, a look of distaste in his mouth. 

“No. I expect to leave you standing on some beach with absolutely no name at all, watching me sail away on my ship -- and then I’ll shout the name back to you. Savvy?”

“But that still leaves us with the problem of me standing on some beach with naught but a name and your word it’s the one I need.” He leaned back in his chair, eying Jack. 

Jack took an apple from the bowl. “Of the two of us I am the only one who hasn't committed mutiny ... therefore my word is the one we'll be trusting.” He sat down, putting his feet on the table. 

Avery was sitting away from the adults, sitting with a small apple and a bunch of grapes, eating like he hadn’t been fed in weeks. Alice had a few ship biscuits and jerky she had made stored in the cabinet near her bed, so she took a few of each out, handing them to the boy, who nodded in thanks. 

While Alice was making sure that Avery had food, the two adults in the room where still talking. 

“Although, I suppose I should be thanking you because in fact, if you hadn’t betrayed me and left me to die, I would have an equal share in that curse same as you. Funny ol' world, innit?” He took a huge bite of the apple he had taken from the bowl in the center of the table. 

“And the boy… this cabin boy… what is he to you?” Barbossa smirked again. “Who be his mother? He looks familiar.”

“No clue, I picked him up in Port Royal. Why do you ask?” Jack looked very suspicious, which Alice could understand. Her father always had a plan, was always trying to be one step ahead of everyone else.

“I figured you would know who was the mother of your child.”

“What are you talking about?” 

“Come off it, Jack. I’m a father of 8. I know how closely children resemble their parents. I knew in that cave. I’m not as stupid as you think.” Barbossa gestured to his daughter, who was now sitting on the table next to Avery, breaking up ships biscuits for the boy who was more focused on the food in front of him than the adults in the room. 

“What are you- leave my boy out of this Hector.”

Barbossa laughed, leaning forward and lacing his fingers together, placing his hands before him on the table. “You have a name and I have your son.” 

Just then, the Bo’Sun came into the room without knocking. “Captain -- we're coming up on the Interceptor.”

“Don’t threaten my child, Barbossa.” Jack said as he stood, his hands flat on the desk. Barbossa did the same, before pushing off the table, leaving the younger man behind. 

The two men left the room, bickering about the fate of the children. 

“So, Jack Sparrow is your father?” Alice finished breaking biscuits, leaving the pieces on a plate, then starting with the jerky he hadn’t started to eat. When that was broken up, she brushed her hands off, then moved to sit in a chair next to the boy, rather than on the table. 

“Yes, he is. I found out a few days ago, to be honest. I’m still wrapping my head around it.” He snacked on the fruit, finishing the apple and grapes, before starting on the biscuits. “I’m not sure what’s going to become of it, or me. I’ve heard that pirates don’t want to be fathers or to be weighed down by children. He could very easily reject me and leave me somewhere in the Caribbean.” 

“I can understand that.” Alice cut a few more pieces and gestured for the boy to keep eating. “My father may be my captain, but on deck, he is just that, my captain, not my father.” She shrugged. “If your father is so open about claiming you to someone like my father, then count your lucky stars. My father would never do that.” 

“Why is that?” 

“It helps protect me, at least a little. It also protects him, as he can focus on more than just keeping me safe. If I don’t reveal that I am his child, he doesn’t have to worry about someone using that against him. 

When the boy had finished eating, Alice gestured for him to follow her. “We should go out to the deck. Let’s see what’s going on.” 

Barbossa got to the upper deck, staring at the horizon through his spyglass, intent on his prey. Jack followed him; his hands up as if to plead with the older pirate. Jack appeared through the telescope lens, blocking the view of the Interceptor.

“I’m having a thought here, Barbossa. What say we run up a flag of truce? I scurry over to the Interceptor and I negotiate the return of your medallion, eh? What say you to that?”

Her father looked annoyed, his brow furrowing. He dropped the spyglass from his eye, fixing Sparrow with a stare. “Now, you see, Jack. That's exactly the attitude that lost you the Pearl. People are easier to search when they're dead.” He turned to the Bo’sun who was standing behind Alice and Avery. “Lock him in the brig.” He shouted, gesturing with his head. 

Barbossa grabbed the apple from Jack's hand as Bo'sun took him away. Barbossa looked at the apple and with fury, threw it overboard.

He then turned to Alice, his face muddled with anger and a look of regret. “Now, I think it’s best that we take care of this business before we take the ship.” 

Alice looked confused for a moment, as she had forgotten for the time being that she was in trouble with her father. It was when he left and returned with a cat o nine tails did she understand. Avery cringed back, pressing himself into the wood behind the helm. 

“I’m not speaking about whipping you, boy.” Hector rolled his eyes, before turning back to his daughter, making to take her arm.

“Give me a moment,” She begged, pleading with her father before he called attention to the crew. “If I don’t change first, it will tear my stays. I only have one pair.” 

Barbossa nodded, allowing her to return to their quarters. There, she locked the deadbolt and removed her shirt, untying her stays and tucking them into the chest under her bed. Taking a long strip of linen, she wound it around her chest, keeping her breasts pressed against her body before she put an old shirt that she was intending to rip up for rags on her body, leaving her coat behind. 

When she returned, Hector nodded to her, gesturing with his head that she was to continue to the mast, where he joined her. 

“Gents!” He shouted, gathering the men’s attention, waiting till they all turned around, looking at the father daughter pair. “Remember Miss Alice’s little mishap? Where she neglected to tell us that we were being duped by our guest?” 

“Aye!” The men yelled, throwing their hands up. Alice knew what was coming, she had seen it before, she had tended to men who had been whipped before, but she could not find comfort in that. She had never been whipped on the ship before, but she knew that if she wasn’t punished in some physical way, they might be calling for her head next. Behind her father, the Sparrow boy was watching, crouched behind the railing of the stairs, peeking out to watch in fear. 

“So I think it be time that she pay for her lies!” He raised the whip, showing the men his intentions. “Masters Pintel and Ragetti, hold her still.” 

The two men came forward with remorse on their faces and while Alice knew they were upset with her, they were still her friends. But regardless, she went with them, allowing them to hold her arms around the mast, keeping her in place. 

“Let this be a lesson to you all! Know that if you commit the same offense, the same will happen to you!” 

Alice braced herself against the pain and the idea that her pain and embarrassment was going to be broadcast to the entire crew. She refused to cry, to show that she was scared or even that it hurt. 

“I think 5 lashes will do the trick!” 

Alice pressed her face into the wood of the mast, bracing for the first whip strike, tensing her muscles when the first lash hit her back. 

“It will be okay, Miss Alice.” Ragetti whispered into her ear, but it did little help. As the whipping continued, she pressed her face further into the mast, trying to block out the pain. “Its almost over.” 

When the whipping stopped, she sagged against the mast, relying on the two men before her to keep her up. The blood from her back poured down her body, the shirt now in ribbons on her body. The linen strip she had wrapped around her person were also ripped, and she could feel it slipping off her body. In the back of her mind, she was glad that her father had allowed her to change her clothes, as her stays would have been destroyed if she had not. 

“Take her to her room.” She heard Barbossa walk away, the soft thump of the whip on the wall as he hung it up on the wall once more. 

When they were dismissed, Pintel and Ragetti threw her arms over their shoulders, hauling her into the captain’s quarters. The two helped her to the bed, helping her to lay face down on the large captain’s bed, as it was lower and easier to get Alice on. 

Pintel took a large basket from the floor, full of rags and a bottle of vodka. He then retrieved the shears from Alice’s sewing, helping Ragetti cut the shirt away from her body to get to the linen strips. 

“We’re going to get you cleaned up, Miss Alice.” Ragetti said quietly, as if he spoke in the full volume he normally did, she would be in more pain than before. “We’re just going to cut this off you. It’s ruined anyways.” 

Alice nodded; her face pressed into the bed. When they pressed a rag soaked in vodka onto the wounds in her back, she turned her head away from the pair, tears falling from her eyes. She tried to hold in her cries, but they eventually turned into sobs as they poured the vodka into her wounds, rather than dabbing them clean. She figured that once they were clear of blood, it was better just to soak the wounds in the alcohol, but it didn’t make it hurt less.

When they were done cleaning the gashes, they helped her sit up a little so they could wind bandages around her torso. Ignoring the pain, Alice helped wrap around the front of her body, sparing them all the embarrassment of the two male pirates seeing her breasts. When they were done, they left, leaving Alice to slowly get up and find a dark colored shirt, to hide any blood that might seep through the fabric. She donned her stays once more then put the shirt on, gathering the bloody bandages off her father’s bed, tossing them in the laundry basket. She could wash them later and wind them back up when they were dry. 

If she bled through to the stays, so be it, she could wash them. It was easier to get blood out of her underthings than it was to get a new pair when it was sliced to ribbons by a whip. 

She was tucking the shirt into her pants as her father knocked once and came into the room, closing the door softly behind him. 

“I would ask how you are, but I think we both know the answer to that.” 

“I’m as fine as I can be.” Alice grimaced as she twisted to get the back of her shirt tucked in, gritting her teeth as she fixed her waistline to hold to fabric in place. 

“Let me help,” Hector came forward but Alice stepped to the side. 

“I’m fine.” She ground out, finishing her task before taking her weapon’s belt off her bed and securing it to her body. “You wouldn’t aid other members of the crew, so I don’t expect the same.”

“You’re not just another member though, lass.”

“But you treated me just the same, just now out there.” She turned back to face him quickly, taking her coat off the bed and donning it, straightening it out with a few efficient pulls. 

“Did you expect something else? Perhaps next time, instead of a whipping, instead of the bloodshed you know they crave, I could just haul you over my knees and tan your hide like I would when you were small? Would that please you?” 

“I know you had to! But you can’t whip me and offer comfort in the same thirty minutes!” Tears stung the back of her eyes, but she refused to show him her tears. “I’m not asking to be treated differently, but you’ve never whipped me before. I think I am entitled to be a little upset.” 

“Watch your tongue before I cut it out. You know better than to speak to me that way.” Hector pointed a finger at her, pinning her with a sharp look. 

“I’m sorry, Captain. Won’t happen again.” She said stiffly, her eyes crackling with anger. She tightened her weapons belt on her waist, then made to leave the room, but was stopped before she could. 

“You know you don’t have to call me Captain in here.” His expression was complicated and Alice could not figure out what it was.

“I know.” She pulled her arm out of his grasp before heading out, fixing her hat as she moved. “But that’s what you were out there.”

*A*B*

She knew she was being irrational. She knew in her head that he was doing his duty, that he was protecting not only her, but himself. He had been lenient with her, 5 lashes being nothing to what he normally would give. Once, he whipped a man over thirty times, cutting his back to the bone for taking more of his fair share of treasure. Her heart just wouldn’t get the message. 

She went to the side to pull the ropes tight, trying to ignore the screaming in the wounds on her back. They were barely scabbed, the bleeding only just stopped, and she knew they were only going to keep bleeding the more she worked, but she refused to stop moving. She heard heavy footsteps behind her, recognizing them as the steps of her father. They slowed as they neared her, but she never stopped, and she refused to look up. She refused to make a face, to show her pain, but as she tried to pull another rope, Pintel came over and took the rope from her, pulling it tight. 

“Sit, before you pass out.” 

“I’m fine.” Her face was sweaty, and she had to grit her teeth to keep going. She could feel the bandages pulling, which irritated the open wounds. 

Pintel tossed the rope down and grabbed her shoulders, pushing her to sit in the middle of the stairs, where she quickly scooted over to keep the stairs as clear as possible. 

“I’ve been whipped before and tried to work right after. I passed out and hit my head on a cannon. I was unconscious for three days. I think you’d want to be spared the same fate.” He took the rope once more, tugging it tight. 

“My father sent you over here, didn’t he?” 

“He did.” Pintel kept working as Ragetti came over with a few blocks of wood and a set of knives. 

“Do you want to help me carve spoons while we wait for orders?”

“Sure.” Alice took the wood and a knife, starting to whittle, happy to at least get a distraction from her pain. 

She could see from where she was seated the Interceptor trying to get farther away from the Black Pearl. She watched as they tossed crates, barrels and other goods in the water, in a futile effort to escape. 

As she finished a spoon and was reaching for another block of wood, Avery came over and sat on the other side of her, watching them carve, 

“What are you doing and can I help?” 

“I don’t think so, Avery, but thank you for asking.” Alice smiled a little as they worked, trying to dig out the bowl portion of the spoon, trying to make sure she did not slice her thumb. 

“Then what can i do?” 

“You can stop complaining, Runt.” Pintel was covered with a layer of sweat, as he finished securing the ropes. 

“No need to be rude.” Alice looked up at the man, shaking her head. Before too long, Barbossa’s voice rang out across the deck, resulting in Ragetti jumping up and gathering the materials from the spoons. 

“Haul on the main brace, make ready the guns!” He turned to the Bo’Sun, a smirk on his face and a gleam in his eyes. “And run out the sweeps.” 

Alice got up and reached out to Avery, helping him up from the stairs. “You should probably go to the brig, to be with your father.” Alice pushed the boy toward the stairs, making sure he started to move. “It will be safer for you there, as safe as one can be for this sort of thing.” 

“I’m not a child!” 

“Yes, you are.” Alice gave him one more push before she turned to look up the stairs to see her father staring out at the ocean, keeping an eye on the Interceptor. “Come on!” She grabbed his arm and hauled him down the brig, pushing him into the room. 

“Sparrow, watch your kid.” Alice let go of Avery’s arm and went to leave, before she turned back and took hold of the boy’s arm, leaning down to look him in the eye. “Please, Avery, stay with your father. The men don’t care who they kill and they won’t hesitate to do so to you. Just stay out of sight and you’ll be fine.” 

“But-” Avery started, but Alice shook him a little. 

“Avery, use your head. They just were cheated out of breaking this curse. They just watched me get whipped. They’re angry and out for blood. Don’t give them a reason to spill yours.” She let him go and watched as Jack reached through the bars and pulled the boy back to him carefully.

“Thank you for watching out for him, Miss Barbossa, but if I may ask, why are you helping him?” 

“He’s about the same age as my youngest sister, Mr. Sparrow. He reminds me of her a great deal, if i’m honest. I would kill anyone who hurt her, and i’m sure you feel the same about your son.” 

“If anything is to happen to me…”

“I’ll make sure he’s okay. Worst case, I bring him to my mother. She’ll make sure he gets good food and a warm place to sleep every night.” 

“Thank you,” He said, his eyes expressing an emotion Alice could not comprehend. 

They're clubhaulin'! Hard aport! Rack the starboard oars!” Alice looked up to the ceiling, feeling the ship shudder as the oars were pulled out. 

“Keep him with you, Sparrow.” With that, Alice left the room, heading back up the stairs. As her head came up above the deck, she saw her father draw his sword, taking a fighting stance. 

“Fire!” He shouted, with the cannons rocking the ship. It was then that Alice saw the Interceptor along side the Pearl. 

Alice came up the rest of the stairs, going to her post and drawing her sword. She watched her father bark orders to the men, pacing the deck, his sword still clutched in his hand. Alice took a battle stance, waiting for her own orders, but when her father passed over her, she sighed and moved back down to the gun deck, to find Pintel and Ragetti loading cannons. 

“Here to help, Alice?” 

Alice nodded, dropping down next to the men to load cannons. “My father didn’t give me orders, so i figured i would make myself useful somewhere else.”

“We will always have you down here.” Pintel patted her shoulder, passing her a lit fuse, which she used to fire a cannon. Before long, the Interceptor fired back, with the group diving to the side to avoid getting impaled by the shrapnel that came with the blast.

Pintel looked over to see a spoon embedded in a post beside his head. He frowned, looking to Ragetti only to see the younger man turn toward him, revealing a fork sticking from his wooden eye. He yanked the fork out, and the eye came out as well. The two pirates looked at each other, fuming. The tension was broken by Alice, chuckling a little at the two.

Before too long, Hector poked his head down the stairs and shouted down to the girl. 

“Get up here and help, Lass!” He retreated, leaving Alice to follow, a little sullenly. 

“Strike your colors, you blooming cockroaches! Hands! Grapnels at the ready! Prepare to board!” 

Alice drew her sword once, knowing those aboard the Interceptor might try to come aboard. As she stood, facing the deck, the cannon fired on the Pearl, with the mast of the Interceptor cracking and splitting and falling onto the deck of the Pearl. 

Alice quickly dodged out of the way, noting her father stayed exactly where he was, the mast falling around him, never touching him once. Alice was stunned, but quickly shook it off, preparing to board the other vessel, but she was stopped by her father. 

“No, you need to watch the Sparrow boy.” 

Alice opened her mouth to argue, but shut it once more, nodding tensely.

Hector noticed she was upset, but now was not the time to address it, turning to the Bo’sun to give more orders. 

“Pistols and cutlasses, men! Koehler, Twigg -- to the powder magazine! And the rest of you -- bring me that medallion!” 

As Alice turned to leave the area, to make sure that Avery was safe, she noticed, amid the gun smoke, Jack Sparrow and his son leaving the brig. Somehow the Sparrow boy had freed his father, which confused her. Alice had tried to pick those locks for years and she had not been successful. There was no way that the boy, who had been on the ship for maybe an hour and a half would have the ability to pop the lock on the door. But how had he freed his father? 

She watched as Jack led the boy to the railing, dodging the crew of the Black Pearl, before he took a rope that had been occupied by another pirate, looking down as the man fell into the water.

“Thanks very much!” He said, swinging off the deck, his son clutching to his shirt. Alice ran to the railing, watching in awe as the man landed on the deck of the Interceptor, knocking a few men over as he landed. 

Alice turned to the Bo’sun, who was standing a few feet away from her, hand on his sword. “Go get the Sparrow boy. See to it that he doesn’t get away.” 

“Yes, Miss Alice.” The older man strode to the side of the ship and swung over to the other deck, as Alice watched. From where she stood, she could see the battle before her, watching the fight on the Interceptor’s deck. 

Jack scrambled across the fallen mast, with the Bo’sun not too far behind, the Sparrow boy tossed over his shoulder. As Jack was reaching out for the medallion that Jack the Monkey had clenched in his greedy little fist, her father snatched it first, holding it tightly in his hand. 

“Why thank you, Jack!”

Jack the human looked a little sheepish, but he smiled a little tensely. “You're welcome.”

“Not you. We named the monkey 'Jack.'” He turned to the men who were returning to the Pearl, captives in tow. “Gents, our hope is restored!”

The crew cried out in excitement, as Alice placed her hand on Avery’s shoulder, squeezing it in what she hoped was a reassuring way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There’s not much historic context that I can give here, but thank you all for reviewing the story so far!

**Author's Note:**

> Fun history fact: Readymade clothing dates back to the Romans! If you’re interested in reading about it, this source was really helpful. 
> 
> Kidwell, Claudia B., and Margaret C. Christman. Suiting Everyone: The Democratization of Clothing in America. Washington, D.C.: The Smithsonian Institution Press, 1974. 
> 
> And this one as well: Arnold, Janet. "Smocks, Shirts, Falling Bands and Mantuas: Evidence of Loosely-Fitting Garments and Neckwear Produced for the Ready-to-Wear Market, c. 1560-1700." In Per una Storia della Moda Pronta, Problemi e Ricerche (A History of Ready to Wear, Problems and Research). Proceedings of the Fifth International Conference of CISST (The Italian Center for the Study of the History of Textiles), Milan, 26-28 February, 1990. Firenze: EDIFIR, 1991.


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